feeler
UK[ˈfiːlə(r)]US[ˈfiːlər]
n
a long thin part on the head of an insect or some other animal that it uses for touching or feeling things
n
a remark or question that you make to find out what someone thinks about something
Morpheme Breakdown
feel
er
feel
to touch, perceive
er
Etymology
the word "feeler" is a transparent english compound formed from the native germanic verb "feel" and the agentive suffix "-er." the verb "feel" originates from the old english fēlan, which is related to the proto-germanic fōlijaną, meaning "to feel, perceive." this, in turn, can be traced back to the proto-indo-european root pal-, meaning "to touch, feel, shake." the suffix "-er" is a highly productive english morpheme used to form nouns denoting an agent or instrument. thus, the literal construction "one who/that feels" was directly applied to name the sensory organs of animals and, by metaphorical extension, to tentative remarks used to sense out opinions or reactions.
Analysis
Structure: feel + er
feel (from old english fēlan, meaning "to touch, perceive") + er (from old english -ere, an agent noun suffix indicating "one who does" or "a thing connected with").
Examples
the butterfly uses its long, delicate feelers to navigate its environment.
he put out a feeler to see if there was any interest in his proposal.
after the antennae, the insect's most important feelers are on its legs.