(Zoology)either of a pair of long, thin sensory appendages on the heads of insects, crustaceans, and some other arthropods (动)(昆虫、甲壳纲动物、节肢动物等的)触须,触角 ■(antennae)(figurative)the faculty of instinctively detecting and interpreting subtle signs (喻)直觉 he has the political antennae of a party whip. 他有着一个政党议员中领头人的政治敏感。
(pl.亦作 antennas)(chiefly N. Amer. or technical). another term for aerial (主 北美,技)。 同 aerial a TV antenna. 一根电视天线。
派生 antennal adjective 语源
mid 17th cent.: from Latin, alteration of antemna 'yard' (of a ship), used in the plural to translate Greek keraioi 'horns (of insects'), used by Aristotle