bellwether

noun

bell·​weth·​er ˈbel-ˈwe-t͟hər 

-ˌwe-

: one that takes the lead or initiative : leader

also : an indicator of trends

Did you know?

Because it suggests the act of forecasting, one might be inclined to think that bellwether has something to do with weather. But the wether in bellwether has nothing to do with meteorology. Instead, to learn whither wether, we must head to the sheep farm. We usually think of sheep more as followers than leaders, but in a flock one sheep must lead the way. Since long ago, it has been common practice for shepherds to hang a bell around the neck of one sheep in their flock, thereby designating it the lead sheep. This animal was historically called the bellwether, a word formed by a combination of the Middle English words belle (meaning “bell”) and wether (a noun that refers to a male sheep, and today specifically to a castrated male sheep). It eventually followed that bellwether would come to refer to someone who takes initiative or who actively establishes a trend that is taken up by others. This usage first appeared in English in the 15th century and has remained in the language ever since.

Synonyms

• leader
• pacemaker
• pacer
• pacesetter
• trendsetter

Examples of bellwether in a Sentence

She is a bellwether of fashion.

High-tech bellwethers led the decline in the stock market.

a county that is a bellwether in national elections

Recent Examples on the Web

Some bellwether stocks have also seen some notable declines after reporting results lately. —Fred Imbert, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2025

What To Watch For Large tech companies, like Meta and Microsoft, often serve as industry bellwethers, setting workforce and strategic trends that smaller companies and startups subsequently emulate. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

But Craig’s date with Oscar could be in jeopardy after being snubbed by the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), an oft-reliable bellwether for future awards glory. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025

This class action could prove a bellwether for the many other suits in progress against AI companies regarding the ownership of photographs, art, music, journalism, books, and more. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 14 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bellewether, belleweder "castrated ram with a bell around his neck followed by the other sheep in a flock, leader," from belle bell entry 1 + wether, weder wether

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

bellwether

noun

bell·​weth·​er ˈbel-ˈwet͟h-ər 

-ˌwet͟h-

: someone or something that leads the way or points out a trend

a bellwether of fashion

a county that is a bellwether in national elections

Etymology

from earlier bellwether "leading sheep (or wether) of a flock," from the fact that this sheep wore a bell which told the shepherd where the flock was