prehensile

/prɪˈhɛnsɪl/

Prehensile means "able to grasp" and often refers to such body parts as claws, feet, and tails. Elephants curl their prehensile noses around objects in order to pick them up.

Prehensile is an adjective that comes from a French word for “grasped.” Humans and other primates (like monkeys, lemurs, and gorillas) have prehensile hands with curling fingers for grasping — a definite advantage over dogs, for instance, who can’t use a pencil when poetic inspiration strikes them. Prehensile can also mean "greedy" or "grasping for riches."

Definitions of prehensile

1. adjective

   adapted for grasping especially by wrapping around an object
   “a monkey's prehensile tail”

   antonyms:

   nonprehensile

   not prehensile
2. adjective

   having a keen intellect
   “"poets--those gifted strangely prehensile men"- A.T.Quiller-Couch”

   synonyms:

   intelligent

   having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree
3. adjective

   immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth
   “prehensile employers stingy with raises for their employees”

   synonyms: avaricious, covetous, grabby, grasping, greedy

   acquisitive

   eager to acquire and possess things especially material possessions or ideas