Dactylology, also known as finger spelling, is the use of hand gestures to spell out words. It is commonly used by people who are deaf or have hearing loss. However, there are several synonyms that can also be used to describe this technique. These include manual alphabet, finger alphabet, manual spelling, and sign language alphabet. While each term may have slightly different connotations, they all refer to the same basic system of using hand gestures to communicate words and letters. Regardless of which term is used, dactylology remains an important form of communication for people with hearing impairments.