rabbit ears
Americannoun
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an indoor television antenna consisting of two telescoping, swivel-based aerials.
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Sports Slang. acute sensitivity to gibes, insults, or sarcasm.
Players with rabbit ears are the favorite targets of bench jockeys.
Etymology
Origin of rabbit ears
First recorded in 1965–70
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.
Back then, TV “friction” meant tweaking the rabbit ears with tin foil or asking your uncle to hold the antenna until the fourth quarter was done.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
“Now, if you have a TV with rabbit ears, we’re going to be able to hit 100% of our audience,” Smith said.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 20, 2023
A majority of antenna users are older, having grown up watching TV that pulled in signals with rabbit ears sitting atop a set or an aerial antenna on a roof.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2022
Sometimes he would command me or my sister to adjust the rabbit ears to get better reception.
From Washington Post • Jun. 9, 2022
“A rabbit, I reckon. It’s got whiskers. And rabbit ears, or the shape of rabbit ears at least.”
From "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
