antenna
Americannoun
-
antennas,
plural
-
antennae
plural
-
a conductor by which electromagnetic waves are sent out or received, consisting commonly of a wire or set of wires; aerial.
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Zoology. one of the jointed, movable, sensory appendages occurring in pairs on the heads of insects and most other arthropods.
noun
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one of a pair of mobile appendages on the heads of insects, crustaceans, etc, that are often whiplike and respond to touch and taste but may be specialized for swimming or attachment
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another name for aerial
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One of a pair of long, slender, segmented appendages on the heads of insects, centipedes, millipedes, and crustaceans. Most antennae are organs of touch, but some are sensitive to odors and other stimuli.
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A metallic device for sending or receiving electromagnetic waves, such as radio waves. Some antennas can send waves in or receive waves from all directions; others are designed to work only in a range of directions.
Usage
Plural word for antenna The plural form of antenna can be either antennas or antennae, pronounced [ an-ten-ee ], depending on the meaning of the term. When used in the sense of "a conductor by which electromagnetic waves are sent out or received," the correct plural form is antennas. When used to describe the sensory appendages of organisms in the field of zoology, the correct plural form is antennae. The plural form of several other singular words ending in -a are also formed in this way, as in camera/cameras, pajama/pajamas, and pizza/pizzas. Irregular nouns whose plurals are formed like antennae, such as larva/larvae and fauna/faunae, derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of antenna
1640–50; < Latin: a sailyard
Explanation
An antenna is a feeler found on the head of a bug. You know, the gross, creepy, pointy things they wave around and use as feelers or sensors. An antenna is also a device that sends radio and television signals. The singular noun antenna is just one of the feelers on a bug’s head — a sensory wand the insect waves around to check out its surroundings. The plural of this antenna is antennae. (Those Greeks and their funny words!) The singular noun antenna is also the thing on top of your television or radio. The plural of this antenna is antennas.
Vocabulary lists containing antenna
Animals (Zoology) - Introductory
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Buzzwords for National Honey Bee Day
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Animals (Zoology) - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Most recently, in March, her BMW was stolen from outside her home using an antenna to amplify the signal from the key fob inside her house.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Its antenna arrays detect radio signals from celestial objects, allowing scientists to observe and catalog sources across the southern sky.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
They have shown that a laser can generate a plasma filament that functions as a transmitting antenna, establishing a foundation for future improvements.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 9, 2026
However, its petal-like solar panels had failed to open fully, trapping the antenna and preventing Beagle 2 from communicating.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The local “ground crew” set up our radio by attaching it to the poor Rosalie’s battery and sticking the antenna up a tree that conveniently hid the car from the air, as well.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
It is no bigger than a fingertip, but has comically large antennae - which Hughes likens to "big floppy ears".
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
Compared with related beetles, members of this genus have exceptionally long and slender mandibles, antennae, and maxillary palps.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
If Mengucci’s plain talk can’t be received by investors’ antennae or Bluetooth, they’d better check their connectivity.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
This girl boss couldn’t feel less human if antennae sprouted from her eyebrows.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026
But standing on it, Tally could see air vents, antennae, maintenance hatchways, and of course the big circular door that the hovercars had come through, now closed.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
Conventional antennas may require mechanical devices to change their orientation.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 9, 2026
But then the Russians doubled the number of antennas from four to eight, then to 16, and now to 32, each time reacting to new Lima updates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Once a development receives planning consent, mobile operators are issued a notice-to-quit and must remove their antennas.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Some coral species with fast-growing branches are planted onto "coral trees" that look like old television antennas and are suspended in the water column, with floats to keep them upright.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
The receivers were connected to "induction" antennas that hung around their necks, concealed beneath their clothing.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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