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7 dictionary results for: prehensile
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
pre·hen·sile 
[pri-hen-sil, -sahyl] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
[pri-hen-sil, -sahyl] Pronunciation Key –adjective
| 1. | adapted for seizing, grasping, or taking hold of something: a prehensile tail. |
| 2. | able to perceive quickly; having keen mental grasp. |
| 3. | greedy; grasping; avaricious. |
[Origin: 1781–85; < F préhensile (coined by Buffon), equiv. to L prehens(us) (see prehension) + F -ile -ile]
] —Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| pre·hen·sile
(prē-hěn'səl, -sīl') Pronunciation Key
adj.
[French préhensile, from Latin prehēnsus, past participle of prehendere, to grasp; see ghend- in Indo-European roots.] pre'hen·sil'i·ty (-sĭl'ĭ-tē) n. |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
prehensile
prehensile
1781, from Fr. préhensile (Buffon), from L. prehensus, pp. of prehendere "to grasp, to seize," from præ- "before" + -hendere, related to hedera "ivy," via notion of "clinging," and cognate with Gk. khandanein "to take in, hold" (see get).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| prehensile | |
adjective | |
| 1. | adapted for grasping especially by wrapping around an object; "a monkey's prehensile tail" [ant: nonprehensile] |
| 2. | having a keen intellect; "poets--those gifted strangely prehensile men"- A.T.Quiller-Couch |
| 3. | immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth; "they are avaricious and will do anything for money"; "casting covetous eyes on his neighbor's fields"; "a grasping old miser"; "grasping commercialism"; "greedy for money and power"; "grew richer and greedier"; "prehensile employers stingy with raises for their employees" [syn: avaricious] |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| prehensile
(prē-hěn'səl) Pronunciation Key
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.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
pre'hen·sil'i·ty (-sĭl'ĭ-tē) n.
prehensile pre·hen·sile (prē-hěn'səl, -sīl')
adj.
Adapted for seizing, grasping, or holding, especially by wrapping around an object.
pre'hen·sil'i·ty (-sĭl'ĭ-tē) n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Prehensile
Pre*hen"sile\, a. [L. prehensus, p. p. of prehendere to lay hold of, seize; pre- (equiv. to prae before) + hendere (in comp.), akin to E. get: cf. F. pr['e]hensile. See Get, and cf. Prison, Prize, n.] Adapted to seize or grasp; seizing; grasping; as, the prehensile tail of a monkey.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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