Antenna
WordNet
noun
(1) One of a pair of mobile appendages on the head of e.g. insects and crustaceans; typically sensitive to touch and taste
(2) An electrical device that sends or receives radio or television signals
(3) Sensitivity similar to that of a receptor organ
"He had a special antenna for public relations"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From antenna, nautical term for yard and common term for pole, of unknown origin.
Noun
- A feeler organ on the head of an insect, crab, or other animal.
- A device to receive or transmit radio-frequency signal by converting electromagnetic radiation into electrical signal.
- The faculty of intuitive astuteness.
Usage notes
- Use of the Anglicised plural to mean multiple feelers or astute aptitudes is very rare.
- Use of the Latinate plural to mean multiple aerials is very rare.
- Some make a distinction between an and an , with the former used to indicate a rigid structure for radio reception or transmission, and the latter consisting of a wire strung in the air. For those who do not make a distinction, is more commonly used in the United States and is more commonly used in the United Kingdom.