pensile

American  

[pen-sahyl, -sil] / ˈpɛn saɪl, -sɪl /

adjective

1. hanging, as the nests of certain birds.

2. building a hanging nest.

---

pensile British  

/ pɛnˈsɪlɪtɪ, ˈpɛnsaɪl /

adjective

1. ornithol designating or building a hanging nest

   pensile birds

---

Other Word Forms

• pensility noun

Etymology

Origin of pensile

1595–1605; < Latin pēnsilis hanging down, equivalent to pēns ( us ) past participle of pendēre to hang (equivalent to pend- verb stem + -tus past participle suffix, with dt > s ) + -ilis -ile

Example Sentences

The moon shone down, but the shadows deep Of the pensile flowers, were hushed in sleep.

From Poems by Goodrich, Samuel G. (Samuel Griswold)

It would appear to be over-large for the tiny bird, until we remember that kinglets are wont to have a numerous progeny in their pensile, globular home.

From Bird Neighbors An Introductory Acquaintance with One Hundred and Fifity Birds Commonly Found in the Gardens, Meadows, and Woods About Our Homes by Blanchan, Neltje

These are in great part perpendicular, and are overclambered with airy stairways climbing to pensile arbors.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 20, No. 119, September, 1867 by Various

Four or five weeping-willows, their stems leaning towards the grave, hang their pensile branches over it.

From The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 19, No. 551, June 9, 1832 by Various

Like the others, it builds a long pensile nest of similar material and suspended from the extremities of limbs near the ground The five to seven eggs are pure white.

From The Bird Book Illustrating in natural colors more than seven hundred North American birds; also several hundred photographs of their nests and eggs. by Reed, Chester A. (Chester Albert)