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

This ended Ohio’s status as a bellwether and signaled the emergence of long-term Republican control. —Jeremiah Poff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Dec. 2024

Target is a bellwether for consumers’ spending habits and the retail sector as a whole. —Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 20 Nov. 2024

The Keystone State is often considered a bellwether state, with many analysts saying the candidate who wins Pennsylvania has the best chance of winning the overall election. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Republicans are looking to the race in North Carolina's 1st District, where Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) is defending highly competitive territory, as another bellwether. —Andrew Solender, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024

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

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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