feeler

Plural: feelers

Noun

• A tactile organ for sensing; a tentative suggestion.
• one of a pair of mobile appendages on the head of e.g. insects and crustaceans; typically sensitive to touch and taste
• a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others
• sensitivity similar to that of a receptor organ
• slender tactile process on the jaws of a fish
• Someone or something that feels.
• An antenna or appendage used for feeling, especially on an insect.
• Something ventured to test another's feelings, opinion, or position.
• 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

Examples

• Are you more of a feeler or more of a thinker?
• His short word was a feeler, testing the board for potential triple-word plays.
• 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.

Synonyms

advance, antenna, approach, barbel, overture