fat finger

Alternative forms

• fat-finger

Etymology

From the idea that a finger that is too fat (“big”) is likely to strike keys other than the intended one.

Noun

fat finger (plural fat fingers)

1. A supposed cause of typographical errors, especially keyboard errors that cause erroneous trades to be executed in the financial markets.
   • 2006, James Quinn, “LSE moves to nail 'fat finger' deals”, in Telegraph.co.uk:

     The London Stock Exchange is to enhance the measures it has in place to ensure 'fat finger' trades do not occur.

   • 2010 May 7, “'Fat fingers' could be behind market crash”, in CTV.ca:

     Although it appeared to be triggered by unrest in Greece, the real cause could be a trader's "fat fingers."

   • 2010 May 7, “Fear itself the problem as Greece's woes have yet to spread”, in Sydney Morning Herald:

     The Securities and Exchange Commission is on the case, pursuing a lead that a "fat finger" keystroke error on a trade in Procter & Gamble, one of the 30 stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, turned a trade of millions into a trade of billions