preensão

Preensão is a Portuguese term with multiple related meanings, linked by the idea of taking hold or grasping something, whether physical or conceptual. The word derives from Latin prae-hendere or prehendere, meaning to seize or take hold.

In everyday and scientific usage, preensão typically refers to the act of grasping or seizing an object with the hand or another instrument. In biomechanics and ergonomics, it is studied as a motor skill that includes different grip types, such as a full-hand grip or a precision grip, and serves as a measure of dexterity and hand strength.

A second and closely related meaning concerns cognitive grasp. In education, linguistics, and psychology, preensão denotes the act of understanding or apprehending information, ideas, or texts. It encompasses the process of recognizing main concepts, making inferences, and integrating new information with prior knowledge.

In some contexts, the term may appear in legal or administrative language with a meaning akin to seizure or custody, though apreensão is the more common term for legal seizure in Portuguese.

In philosophy, especially in process philosophy, preensão is a technical term used to describe how an actual entity incorporates aspects of other entities into its own becoming. This usage is distinct from everyday senses of grabbing and understanding, and is mostly found in academic discussions of Whiteheadian theory.

Overall, preensão is a polysemous word whose core idea is the act of taking hold, applied across physical, cognitive, and specialized domains.