bellwether
noun
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
Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 19 Apr. 2025
The movie is seen as a bellwether for the tenure of Warner Bros film chiefs Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca, who have incurred the awe and ire of Hollywood by building a slate of big-budget features from big-name talent.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 18 Apr. 2025
The company is the first insurer to report earnings each quarter and is viewed by analysts as a bellwether for the broader insurance industry.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
His victory could serve as a bellwether for upcoming elections across the region, where voters face rising insecurity and weigh how candidates navigate ties with Mr. Trump.
—Mie Hoejris Dahl, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bellwether
Cite this Entry
“Bellwether.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bellwether. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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bellwether
noun
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
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