antennas
|an-ten-nas|
/ænˈtɛnəz/
(antenna)
receiver or sensory appendage
Etymology
'antenna' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'antenna', where it meant 'yard-arm' or 'sail-yard'.
'antenna' changed from Latin 'antenna' (meaning 'sail-yard') into modern European languages; it was later applied in biology to insect 'feelers' (often via Italian/Latin usage) and then adopted in the 19th century for radio aerials because of the resemblance to projecting rods, eventually becoming the English word 'antenna'.
Initially, it meant 'sail-yard' (a spar for a sail); over time it came to mean 'sensory feeler' in zoology and later 'device for sending/receiving electromagnetic waves' in telecommunications.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'antenna': a device (often a metal rod or array) for sending or receiving electromagnetic waves (radio, TV, mobile signals, etc.).
The building's antennas pick up radio signals from miles away.
Synonyms
Noun 2
plural of 'antenna': the paired sensory appendages (feelers) on the heads of insects and some other arthropods (also commonly called 'antennae').
The beetle's antennas help it detect food and pheromones.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/22 10:52