bellwether

noun

bell·weth·er ˈbel-ˈwe-t͟hər

-ˌwe-

Synonyms of bellwether next

: 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.

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Shares of Nvidia , which is often viewed by investors as a market bellwether and has been at the forefront of the AI boom, surged nearly 7% so far this week. —

Brian Evans, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2025 Of all the guild awards, the DGA historically has been an accurate bellwether of which filmmakers will go on to be nominated for Oscars, although accuracy has waned in recent years. —

Tim Lammers, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 Ukraine is the bellwether test, where Trump has said Kyiv should probably prepare for a withdrawal of U.S. assistance. —

Laura Kelly, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2025 China Embraces EREVs If China is the bellwether for all things electric, the EREV could be the next big thing. —

IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for bellwether

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

Time Traveler

The first known use of bellwether was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Bellwether.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bellwether. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

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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