prehensile Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective adapted for grasping especially by wrapping around an object
    • a monkey's prehensile tail
  2. adjective satellite having a keen intellect
    • poets--those gifted strangely prehensile men"- A.T.Quiller-Couch
  3. adjective satellite immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth
    covetous; greedy; avaricious; grasping; grabby.
    • 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

WordNet

Pre*hen"sile adjective
Etymology
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. préhensile. See Get, and cf. Prison, Prize, n.
Definitions
  1. Adapted to seize or grasp; seizing; grasping; as, the prehensile tail of a monkey.

Webster 1913