prehensile

See also: préhensile

English
WOTD – 25 January 2008

Etymology

Borrowed from French préhensile, from Latin perfect passive participle prehēnsus, from prehendō (“grasp, seize”) + adjective suffix -ile, from Latin -ilis.

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /pɹɪˈhɛn.saɪl/
  • (US) IPA(key): /pɹiˈhɛnsəl/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Adjective

prehensile (not comparable)

  1. (zoology) Able to take hold of and clasp objects; adapted for grasping especially by wrapping around an object.
    Some monkeys have prehensile tails which they use to pick things up.

Derived terms

Translations
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