Standard Lemma guide

feeler

noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈfiːlə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈfiːləɹ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːlə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: F IY1 L ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Someone or something that feels.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: literally

Examples

  • Are you more of a feeler or more of a thinker?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An antenna or appendage used for feeling, especially on an insect.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Something ventured to test another's feelings, opinion, or position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • I sent out some feelers but they didn't seem interested.
  • This survey is designed to get a feeler about how the citizens feel about the proposed new highway.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a presumptive person; someone who bases on gut feeling, such as assuming or imagining that something said or done, whether positive or negative, was for a person despite having no concrete confirmation but gut feeling, or someone who assumes one's affection is reciprocated, or indulges in one's own wishful thinking or flatters oneself

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Philippines, figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

one of a pair of mobile appendages on the head of e.g. insects and crustaceans; typically sensitive to touch and taste

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: antenna

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tentacle

6

noun

Meaning 6

slender tactile process on the jaws of a fish

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: barbel

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tentacle

7

noun

Meaning 7

sensitivity similar to that of a receptor organ

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he had a special antenna for public relations

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: antenna

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sensitivity, sensitiveness

8

noun

Meaning 8

a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she rejected his advances

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: overture, advance, approach

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: suggestion, proposition, proffer

History

Etymology

From Middle English feler, feeler, felar, equivalent to feel + -er. Animal organ definition from 1660s. Transferred sense of "proposal put forth to observe the reaction it gets" is from 1830.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: Fühler — someone or something that feels
  • Portuguese: sentidor — someone or something that feels
  • Russian: щуп (ščup) — someone or something that feels
  • Afrikaans: voeler — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Armenian: շոշափուկ (šošapʻuk) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Asturian: antena — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Asturian: cuernu — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Bulgarian: антена (antena) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Bulgarian: пипалце (pipalce) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Czech: tykadlo — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Danish: følehorn — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Danish: føletråd — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Dutch: voelspriet — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Dutch: voeldraad — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Dutch: voelhoorn — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Esperanto: anteno — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Finnish: tuntosarvi — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • German: Fühler — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Hindi: शृंगिका (śŕṅgikā) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Hungarian: csáp — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Icelandic: fálmari — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Icelandic: þreifari — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Irish: adharcán — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Italian: antenna — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Japanese: 触角 (shokkaku) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Latin: palpus — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Māori: hihi — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Māori: pūhihi — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Norwegian Bokmål: føletråd — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Old English: lim — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Persian: شاخک (šâxak) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Polish: czułek — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Portuguese: sensor — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Portuguese: palpo — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Russian: у́сик (úsik) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Russian: щу́пальце (ščúpalʹce) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Russian: анте́нна (antɛ́nna) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Russian: сяжо́к (sjažók) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Spanish: antena — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Swedish: känselspröt — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Tajik: шохак (šoxak) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Turkish: duyarga — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Turkish: anten — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Turkish: lamise — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Ukrainian: ву́сик (vúsyk) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Ukrainian: анте́на (anténa) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Ukrainian: щу́пальце (ščúpalʹce) — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Vietnamese: xúc giác — an antenna or appendage used to feel, as on an insect
  • Bulgarian: намек (namek) — Something ventured to test other's feelings
  • Danish: føler — Something ventured to test other's feelings
  • Danish: prøveballon — Something ventured to test other's feelings
  • Dutch: proefballon — Something ventured to test other's feelings
  • Swedish: försöksballong — Something ventured to test other's feelings
  • Swedish: trevare — Something ventured to test other's feelings