prehensile
[ pri-hen-sil, -sahyl ]
/ prɪˈhɛn sɪl, -saɪl /
adjective
adapted for seizing, grasping, or taking hold of something: a prehensile tail.
able to perceive quickly; having keen mental grasp.
greedy; grasping; avaricious.
Origin of prehensile
1781–85; < French
préhensile (coined by Buffon), equivalent to Latin
prehens(us) (see
prehension) + French
-ile
-ile
OTHER WORDS FROM prehensile
pre·hen·sil·i·ty [pree-hen-sil-i-tee] /ˌpri hɛnˈsɪl ɪ ti/, noun non·pre·hen·sile, adjective sub·pre·hen·sile, adjective sub·pre·hen·sil·i·ty, nounWords nearby prehensile
pregnanedione,
pregnanetriol,
pregnant,
preheat,
prehensible,
prehensile,
prehension,
prehistoric,
prehistory,
prehnite,
prehominid
Example sentences from the Web for non-prehensile
British Dictionary definitions for non-prehensile
prehensile
/ (prɪˈhɛnsaɪl) /
adjective
adapted for grasping, esp by wrapping around a support
a prehensile tail
Derived forms of prehensile
prehensility (ˌpriːhɛnˈsɪlɪtɪ), nounWord Origin for prehensile
C18: from French
préhensile, from Latin
prehendere to grasp
Medical definitions for non-prehensile
prehensile
[ prē-hĕn′səl, -sīl′ ]
adj.
Adapted for seizing, grasping, or holding, especially by wrapping around an object.
Other words from prehensile
pre′hen•sil′i•ty (-sĭl′ĭ-tē) n.Scientific definitions for non-prehensile
prehensile
[ prē-hĕn′səl ]
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.