إِبْهَامٌ

The thumb, and the great toe; (M, K;) the greatest إِصْبَع, (JK, T, S,) that is next to the forefinger, having two joints, so called because it closes upon [the palm of] the hand, as a cover; (T, TA;) the greatest of the أَصَابِع in the hand and in the foot: (M, K:) of the feminine gender, (S, Msb,) according to common repute; (Msb;) and sometimes masculine: (Lh, M, K:) and ↓ بَهِيمٌ signifies the same; mentioned by Az in the T, and by others; but Az adds that one should not say بِهَامٌ: (TA:) the plural of ابهام is أَبَاهِيمُ (JK, S, M, Msb, K) and أَبَاهِمُ, (M, K,) which latter is used by poetic license for the former, (M,) and إِبْهَامَاتٌ. (Msb.) أَقْصَرُ مِنْ إِبْهَامِ الضَّبِّ [Shorter than the great toe of the (lizard called) ضبّ], and من ابهام القَطَاةِ [than the back toe of the (bird called) قطاة], and من ابهام الحُبَارَى [than the back toe of the (bird called) حبارى], are proverbs of the Arabs. (Har p. 335.)