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Glite Dictionary
opposable

opposable

12 7.1
Able to move a thumb so it can touch the fingers and help hold things
  • adjective
  • /əˈpoʊzəbl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : oponible
  • Not being human and all, spending your life without opposable thumbs.
  • opposable thumb

Both the giant panda and the red panda both independently evolved a false thumb that acts as an opposable thumb.

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Examples

  • Primates had opposable thumbs, the kind of thumbs that let you answer the phone and operate a can opener.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • The opposable thumb on a hand is essential for activities like writing or holding a pen.

  • If you could have wings at the expense of having hands with an opposable thumb, would you?

  • Tools, you know, and because we had an opposable thumb, we started to make tools and then it kept progressing.

  • I teach a course sometimes about how human beings are different because they have opposable thumbs.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • With five digits that bend and an opposable thumb, the hand is a marvel of dexterity.

    Academic text (2008)

  • No dog ever sat back on its haunches like that, lifting a hand in silent greeting, a capable-looking hand with a fully opposable thumb.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Moderately intelligent, seemingly self-aware, possessing opposable digits and thus a fair degree of manual dexterity.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Many primates have an opposable thumb that enhances their ability to grasp branches.

  • Humans are unique among most animals due to their opposable thumbs, which allow for fine manipulation of objects.

Synonyms

apposable
vsopposable
  • Specialized
9.5

Can touch another part when put opposite, like a thumb

is limited to fingers like the thumb and focuses on grasping and manipulation

How Prehensile

opposable
  • Specialized
12 7.1
prehensile
  • Specialized
3 8.2
nonprehensile
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

opposable positive

Morphology

opposable = oppose (transparent) = oppose + able

Formed by the productive suffix '-able' added to 'oppose', yielding the straightforward meaning 'capable of being placed opposite'.

Etymology

Opposable comes from the parts op- ('against') and pon- ('place'), the same idea you see in opposite. So an opposable thumb is one that can be 'placed against' the other fingers, which is why it helps you grasp things.