prehensile
adjective
pre·hen·sile prē-ˈhen(t)-səl 
-ˈhen-ˌsī(-ə)l
1
: adapted for seizing or grasping especially by wrapping around
prehensile tail
2
: gifted with mental grasp or moral or aesthetic perception
prehensility
(ˌ)prē-ˌhen-ˈsi-lə-tē
noun 
Did you know?
You may be familiar with prehensile from the animal world: monkeys have prehensile tails, elephants have prehensile trunks, giraffes have prehensile tongues, etc. But can you comprehend where this word comes from? Can you apprehend its derivation? The Latin verb prehendere, meaning "to seize or grasp," is the ancestor of a number of English terms, including comprehend, apprehend, and prehensile. Prehensile came into English in the 18th century via French préhensile, from Latin prehensus, the past participle of prehendere.
Example Sentences
The monkey has a prehensile tail. The elephant has a prehensile trunk.
Recent Examples on the Web Her long, prehensile snout searched pockets and opened doors. 
David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Dec. 2020 Bettmann, via Getty Images Residents of the White House have had fur and feathers, claws and hooves, scales, stripes and prehensile tails. New York Times, 14 Nov. 2020 The form stuns with visceral color, prehensile line, and the most insinuative brushwork of any modern painter, all indirectly nourished by Guston’s passionate reverence for Renaissance masters. Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2020 WKRC-TV's Bob Herzog and Zoo Director Thane Maynard will cohost the event, featuring special guests Fiona the hippo, Rico the prehensile porcupine and other Cincinnati Zoo celebrities. Madeline Mitchell, The Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2020 As their name suggests, brushtails have long, thick tails with a prehensile tip and a furless patch on the underside, both of which help them hang onto tree branches. National Geographic, 6 Mar. 2020 Although Hollywood tends to focus on their teeth, grizzlies have prehensile lips that are perfect for stripping berries off branches, and their claws are ideal for digging up roots and turning over rocks to look for insects. Brent Crane, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2019 The partially prehensile proboscis helps the species probe the ground for leaves and fallen fruit. Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, 3 July 2018 The cuscus hangs on by its fingertips—or its curling, prehensile tail. The Economist, 19 Apr. 2018 See More
David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Dec. 2020 Bettmann, via Getty Images Residents of the White House have had fur and feathers, claws and hooves, scales, stripes and prehensile tails. New York Times, 14 Nov. 2020 The form stuns with visceral color, prehensile line, and the most insinuative brushwork of any modern painter, all indirectly nourished by Guston’s passionate reverence for Renaissance masters. Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2020 WKRC-TV's Bob Herzog and Zoo Director Thane Maynard will cohost the event, featuring special guests Fiona the hippo, Rico the prehensile porcupine and other Cincinnati Zoo celebrities. Madeline Mitchell, The Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2020 As their name suggests, brushtails have long, thick tails with a prehensile tip and a furless patch on the underside, both of which help them hang onto tree branches. National Geographic, 6 Mar. 2020 Although Hollywood tends to focus on their teeth, grizzlies have prehensile lips that are perfect for stripping berries off branches, and their claws are ideal for digging up roots and turning over rocks to look for insects. Brent Crane, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2019 The partially prehensile proboscis helps the species probe the ground for leaves and fallen fruit. Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, 3 July 2018 The cuscus hangs on by its fingertips—or its curling, prehensile tail. The Economist, 19 Apr. 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
French préhensile, from Latin prehensus, past participle of prehendere to seize — more at get
First Known Use
circa 1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
prehensile
adjective
pre·hen·sile prē-ˈhen-səl
: capable of grasping something by wrapping around it
Some monkeys have a prehensile tail.
Medical Definition
prehensile
adjective
pre·hen·sile prē-ˈhen(t)-səl -ˈhen-ˌsīl
-ˈhen-ˌsīl : adapted for seizing or grasping especially by wrapping around
prehensile tail