antenna

noun

an·​ten·​na an-ˈte-nə 

plural antennae an-ˈte-(ˌ)nē  or antennas

1

plural antennae : one of a pair of slender, movable, segmented sensory organs on the head of insects, myriapods, and crustaceans see insect illustration

2

: a usually metallic device (such as a rod or wire) for radiating or receiving radio waves

a TV antenna

3

antennae plural : a special sensitivity or receptiveness

… his political antennae proved to be shrewder than ever.

—Erich Segal

antennal

an-ˈte-nᵊl 

adjective

Did you know?

The Latin word antenna meant “sail yard,” which is the long spar that supports and spreads the sail on a sailing vessel. The Greek word for a sail yard was keraia, but that was only one meaning of this word. The primary meaning was “horn.” The philosopher Aristotle used keraiai to describe the feelers of insects, probably because of their resemblance to the horns of some larger animals. In a Latin translation of Aristotle’s work made during the Renaissance, the word antennae was used for Greek keraiai. In English we still use antennae for insects’ feelers. And now we also use antenna for the metal rods that pick up radio waves and seem to “feel the air” like the antennae of an insect.

Examples of antenna in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the 1990s, when the state purchased a package of satellite television channels and transmitted it from Hotel Habana Libre to surrounding hotels, technicians pirated the signal through makeshift antennas. —Laura-Zoë Humphreys and Daymar Valdés Frigola / Made By History, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024

This means these transmissions may reach a receiving antenna by multiple paths, resulting in distortion and fading. —IEEE Spectrum, 4 Dec. 2024

Czerniak noted there are multiple antennas for AT&T and T-Mobile on the city’s water tower, which is close to the compost center. —Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 18 Nov. 2024

Qualcomm’s fortunes have historically been tied to the smartphone industry, where the company provides a range of chips to handset makers, including system-on-a-chip processors, modems, and antennas. —Kif Leswing, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin, sail yard

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing antenna

• community antenna television
• whip antenna

Kids Definition

antenna

noun

an·​ten·​na an-ˈten-ə 

plural antennae -ˈten-(ˌ)ē  or antennas

1

plural usually antennae : one of a pair of slender movable organs of sensation on the head of an arthropod (as an insect or a crab) that are made up of segments

2

plural usually antennas : a device (as a rod or wire) for sending or receiving radio waves