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 prehensile
British Dictionary definitions for 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 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 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.