Meaning & use
prehensile
Last updated
Capable of grasping or holding onto things, especially by wrapping around them.
See it in a sentence
Monkeys use their prehensile tails to grip branches while climbing.
An elephant's trunk is remarkably prehensile, able to pick up objects as small as a coin.
A note on using this word
Almost always used to describe animal body parts, such as tails, trunks, or fingers, adapted for gripping.
Words with a similar meaning
grasping
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