Definition of "feeler" [feel•er]

• Something, such as a hint or question, designed to elicit the attitudes or intentions of others. (noun)
• Zoology A sensory or tactile organ, such as an antenna, tentacle, or barbel. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "When she got a feeler from the two-year-old online auction business, she hadn't expected to be interested."
• "When she first got a feeler from the two-year-old online auction business, she hadn't expected to be interested."
• "The battle of the preceding day had been a sort of "feeler" -- now the real struggle came."