Origin: Latin suffix -al
Aerial has 6 different meanings across 2 categories:
a pass to a receiver downfield from the passer
"The quarterback launched an aerial to the wide end of the field, sending the receiver sprinting toward the goal line."
an electrical device that sends or receives radio or television signals
"The broken aerial prevented us from receiving any TV channels last night."
A rod, wire, or other structure for receiving or transmitting radio, television signals etc.
"The technician adjusted the broken aerial to restore clear reception of the local news channel."
In plain English: An aerial is an old-fashioned name for something that flies through the air, like a bird or a plane.
"The aerial caught every channel from across the region."
existing or living or growing or operating in the air
"aerial roots of a philodendron"
"aerial particles"
"small aerial creatures such as butterflies"
"aerial warfare"
"aerial photography"
"aerial cable cars"
Living or taking place in the air.
"The aerial view from the helicopter showed the entire city spread out below us."
In plain English: Aerial means something that is related to flying high above the ground, like an airplane or a bird soaring through the sky.
"The aerial view of the city from the helicopter was breathtaking."
Usage: Use aerial as an adjective to describe anything located in the sky, such as aerial photography or an aerial view of a city. Do not confuse this with the noun form when referring specifically to the antenna device on a roof; use "antenna" instead if you need that specific meaning.
The word aerial comes from the Latin āeri(us) and Ancient Greek roots meaning "of or pertaining to air." It entered English through French in the 15th century with this original sense of relating to the atmosphere.