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

The first high-profile campaign since the November election, this off-year court race has become a national proxy battle and a bellwether of voter sentiment in perhaps the swingiest of swing states in the early days of the second Trump era. —Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2025

This is why the birthright citizenship and impoundment cases are such important bellwethers. —Ian Millhiser, Vox, 22 Mar. 2025

That was a pretty clear bellwether for the rest of Brat summer, which was dedicated to freewheeling messiness. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025

The decision on Wednesday offers a compromise in the bellwether case, while Khalil's lawyers and the Trump administration argue about whether Khalil should have been arrested by immigration authorities in the first place. —Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 19 Mar. 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

Rhymes for bellwether

• together
• aether
• gether
• heather
• leather
• nether
• tether
• weather
• wether
• whether
• altogether

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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