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Definition of prehensile

prehensile

/priːˈhɛn.səl/
pre · hen · sile
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prehensile Lexical Profile

prehensile Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Capable of grasping or holding objects by wrapping around them (especially of an animal's limb, tail, or other bodily appendage).

Example

"Spider monkeys use their long, prehensile tails like a fifth limb to swing effortlessly through the rainforest canopy."

2

Gifted with keen mental perception or quick to grasp ideas and concepts.

Example

"The biographer possessed a prehensile intellect that quickly seized upon the subtle contradictions in the politician's letters."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for prehensile

• Nearby Words

pregolya
prehallux
preheat
prehensile
prehensile-tailed skink
prehistoric
prehistorical

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 18th century from French préhensile, from Latin prehensus (past participle of prehendere, 'to grasp or seize'), sharing the same root as 'comprehend' and 'apprehend'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Prehensile. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/prehensile
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