prehensile

[pri-hen-sil, -sahyl]

adjective

1. adapted for seizing, grasping, or taking hold of something.

   a prehensile tail.

2. able to perceive quickly; having keen mental grasp.

3. greedy; grasping; avaricious.

prehensile

/ prɪˈhɛnsaɪl, ˌpriːhɛnˈsɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. adapted for grasping, esp by wrapping around a support

   a prehensile tail

prehensile

1. Adapted for seizing, grasping, or holding, especially by wrapping around an object. The feet of many birds, the tails of monkeys, and the trunks of elephants are prehensile.

Other Word Forms

• prehensility noun
• nonprehensile adjective
• subprehensile adjective
• subprehensility noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of prehensile¹

1781–85; < French préhensile (coined by Buffon), equivalent to Latin prehens ( us ) ( prehension ) + French -ile -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of prehensile¹

C18: from French préhensile, from Latin prehendere to grasp

Example Sentences

They move through trees using a prehensile tail for balance and mitten-like feet for a careful, measured stride.

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Many also have long, prehensile tails capable of bearing their weight, which they use while climbing and reaching for fruit.

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Nor is it necessarily true that older political leaders invariably hang on to their seats as if with what Orwell called prehensile behinds.

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The Brazil nuts they had been counting on to sustain them were in short supply, and the piglike tapir, with its prehensile snout, was elusive.

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With their prehensile lips — they are distantly related to elephants — they grabbed the lettuce and nibbled.

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Related Words

• eager 
• hungry 
• impatient 
• rapacious 
• selfish