antenna

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: an=ten=na

CIDE DICTIONARY

antenna, n. [L. antenna sail-yard; NL., a feeler, horn of an insect.].

•  A movable, articulated organ of sensation, attached to the heads of insects and Crustacea. There are two in the former, and usually four in the latter. They are used as organs of touch, and in some species of Crustacea the cavity of the ear is situated near the basal joint. In insects, they are popularly called horns, and also feelers. The term in also applied to similar organs on the heads of other arthropods and of annelids.  [1913 Webster]
•  A metallic device, variously shaped, designed for the purpose of either transmitting or receiving radio waves, as for radio or television broadcasting, or for transmitting communication signals. Some types are: whip antenna, antenna tower, horn antenna, dish antenna, directional antenna and rabbit ears. See transmitter, receiver.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

antenna, n. (pl. antennae)
1 Zool. one of a pair of mobile appendages on the heads of insects, crustaceans, etc., sensitive to touch and taste; a feeler.
2 (pl. antennas) = AERIAL n.

Derivative

antennal adj. (in sense 1). antennary adj. (in sense 1).

Etymology

L, = sail-yard

THESAURUS

antenna

aerials, barb, barbel, barbule, bedspring type, cat whisker, directional antenna, dish, doublet, feed-and-reflector unit, feeler, mast, mattress type, palp, palpus, reflector, rhombic antenna, scanner, strike radar scanner, tactile cell, tactile corpuscle, tactile hair, tactile organ, tactile process, tactor, tower, transmitting antenna, vibrissa, wave antenna

ROGET THESAURUS

antenna

Touch

N touch, tact, taction, tactility, feeling, palpation, palpability, contrectation, manipulation, massage, hand, finger, forefinger, thumb, paw, feeler, antenna, palpus, tactual, tactile, tangible, palpable, lambent.