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antenna

antenna

17 5.1
A long thin part on an insect's head that senses touch and smell
  • noun
  • /ænˈtɛnə/
translation icon : antena
  • Americans have extraordinarily sensitive antennae for the colorations of neighborhoods.

But concealed in this flesh of his nose are two antennae.

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Examples

  • We have just spent three months calibrating the new antennae at Tchalinko.

  • The Ant King smoothed his antennae and took a deep breath.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Oh, and look at the little antenna.

  • Now do you see that has much larger antennae than that?

  • Would you mind not holding me by the antennae?

  • The roach stopped for a minute, antennae moving in circles.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Why then do flies substitute feet for antennae or grow extra pairs of wings or legs?

    Academic text (1992)
  • That's what their antennae are for, so that they can get vibrations.

  • Note the similarity of the beetle's texture, antennae, legs, head, and general shape to those of the ant.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The butterfly used its antenna to sense the flowers nearby.

Synonyms

feeler
vsantenna
3 5.3

A long thin part of an animal used to touch and sense things

is specialized for touch and taste rather than general sensing

Compounds

3 3.2

A device that receives television signals, often placed on a roof

3 3.2

A metal device on a roof or car that catches radio signals

dish antenna
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A curved metal dish that directs radio or satellite signals to a single point

directional antenna
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A device that sends or receives radio waves mostly in one direction

television antenna
  • Specialized
1 3.2

A metal device on a roof or wall that receives TV signals

dipole antenna
  • Specialized
7.4

An antenna with two metal rods placed in a straight line with a connection in the middle

6.1

An antenna that sends and receives radio signals equally in all directions

6.3

A device that sends and receives radio signals equally in all directions

Surface Forms

antenna singular
antennas plural

Etymology

Antenna was the Latin word antenna for a 'long pole' on a ship, and people later used the same name for the thin, feeler-like 'poles' on insects because they look like tiny sticks. That's why insect antennae are long, movable feelers used to touch and taste the world.