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Glite Dictionary
nonprehensile

nonprehensile

9.9
Cannot hold things with a body part, for example a tail or foot
  • adjective
  • /ˌnɒnprɪˈhɛnsaɪl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : no prensil
  • Many birds have nonprehensile feet and cannot grasp branches tightly.

Examples

  • The robot was designed with nonprehensile arms suited only for pushing or sliding items.

  • Unlike monkeys, cows have nonprehensile tails that cannot be used to grip objects.

  • A cat's tail is nonprehensile.

  • The giraffe's tail is nonprehensile.

  • Many birds have nonprehensile feet and cannot grasp branches tightly.

  • Unlike monkeys, cows have nonprehensile tails that cannot be used to grip objects.

  • The robot was designed with nonprehensile arms suited only for pushing or sliding items.

Synonyms

ungraspable
vsnonprehensile
8.6

Too small or slippery to hold in the hand

is about a body part that cannot hold objects

Antonyms

prehensile
  • Specialized
3 8.2

A body part that can hold things by wrapping around them

How Prehensile

prehensile
  • Specialized
3 8.2
nonprehensile
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

nonprehensile positive

Morphology

nonprehensile = prehensile (transparent) = non + prehensile

The meaning is a straightforward negation of 'prehensile' by the productive prefix 'non-'.

Etymology

Nonprehensile begins with non- meaning 'not' and the part prehensile means 'able to grasp', the same root idea you see in comprehend ('to grasp' an idea). So, nonprehensile describes a hand, tail, or arm that cannot hold or grab things.