- prehensile (adj.)
- 1771, from French préhensile "adapted for grasping" (Buffon), from Latin prehensus, past participle of prehendere "to grasp, seize, get hold of," from prae- "before" (see pre-) + -hendere, from PIE root *ghend- "to seize, take" (see get (v.)). Latin -hendere is related to hedera "ivy," via notion of "clinging."
