antenna

/ænˈtɛn.ə/

//ænˈtɛn.ə// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"antenna" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“antenna” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,996 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,996
frequency rank, English
7
letters
8
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An appendage used for sensing on the head of an insect, crab, or other animal.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

antenna vs Antonia
57% similar
antenna vs antennas
88% similar
antenna vs antennae
88% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for antenna
PropertyValue
Headwordantenna
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ænˈtɛn.ə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#9,996
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “antenna” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). antenna lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for antenna is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ænˈtɛn.ə/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,996 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for antenna, with forms such as "anetnna", "anntenna", and "antena". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "Antonia", "antennas", "antennae", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin antenna, antemna (“yard, sailyard; pole”). First used in this sense as a Latin word in the 15th century and as an English word by the end of the 17th century. The correct English form is antenna, spelled A-N-T-E-N-N-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    An appendage used for sensing on the head of an insect, crab, or other animal.
  2. 2
    An apparatus to receive or transmit electromagnetic waves and convert respectively to or from an electrical signal.
  3. 3
    The faculty of intuitive astuteness.
  4. 4
    A fragment of an oligosaccharide
  5. 5
    The spar to which a lateen sail is attached, which is then hoisted up the mast.

Etymology

From Latin antenna, antemna (“yard, sailyard; pole”). First used in this sense as a Latin word in the 15th century and as an English word by the end of the 17th century.

Synonyms

feeleraerial

This word in other languages

antena(Español)antenne(Français)Antenne(Deutsch)antena(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: anetnna,anntenna,antena,antenan,antnena,anttenna,atnenna,natenna

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of antenna - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

anetnna2anntenna1antena1antenan2antnena2anttenna1atnenna2natenna2
Edit distance from "antenna"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "antenna"?
"antenna" is spelled A-N-T-E-N-N-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ænˈtɛn.ə/.
What does "antenna" mean?
As a noun, "antenna" means: An appendage used for sensing on the head of an insect, crab, or other animal.
What words are commonly confused with "antenna"?
"antenna" is commonly confused with "Antonia", "antennas", "antennae". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "antenna"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "antenna" is /ænˈtɛn.ə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "antenna"?
From Latin antenna, antemna (“yard, sailyard; pole”). First used in this sense as a Latin word in the 15th century and as an English word by the end of the 17th century. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “antenna”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-N-T-E-N-N-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ænˈtɛn.ə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Antonia” - see the side-by-side comparison. antenna vs Antonia
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list