From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Prehensile \Pre*hen"sile\, a. [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. pr['e]hensile. See Get,
and cf. Prison, Prize, n.]
Adapted to seize or grasp; seizing; grasping; as, the
prehensile tail of a monkey.
[1913 Webster]