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opposable

[uh-poh-zuh-buhl]

adjective

  1. capable of being placed opposite to something else.

    the opposable thumb of primates.

  2. capable of being resisted, fought, or opposed.



opposable

/ əˈpəʊzəbəl /

adjective

  1. capable of being opposed

  2. Also: apposable(of the thumb of primates, esp man) capable of being moved into a position facing the other digits so as to be able to touch the ends of each

  3. capable of being placed opposite something else

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • opposably adverb
  • opposability noun
  • nonopposable adjective
  • unopposable adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of opposable1

First recorded in 1660–70; oppose + -able
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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And like everything else on this barbaric planet, they were designed for opposable thumbs.

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In fact, the scientists did not grab the treat with their second hand, therefore leading those monkeys that had opposable thumbs to be surprised when discovering it was still in the first hand.

Read more on Salon

“A thumb, yes, because the opposable thumb is what differentiates us from beasts.”

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Davy’s social media manager — presumably someone with aligned values and opposable thumbs — reacted to several news items during the season.

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Similarly a 2021 study in the scientific journal "Current Biology" transformed our understanding of pterosaurs by revealing the existence of a so-called "monkeydactyl" — a pterosaur with the equivalent of opposable thumbs.

Read more on Salon

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