bellwether

noun

bell·​weth·​er ˈbel-ˈwe-t͟hər How to pronounce bellwether (audio)
-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.

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 Saginaw County has become a political bellwether in Michigan. Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 27 Feb. 2024 Once a bellwether, Missouri has become reliably Republican in the six years since Hawley defeated former Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in 2018. Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2024 The state gave Biden his first win in the 2020 Democratic primary and could serve as a bellwether of voter enthusiasm for his reelection bid. Feb. 6: Nevada Democratic primary Nevada will hold the second sanctioned Democratic contest in 2024 and could also serve as a general election indicator. Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2024 Eyes on November: One New Hampshire bellwether to watch There is plenty to watch for in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, NBC’s Henry Gomez writes. Ben Kamisar, NBC News, 23 Jan. 2024 Few outside the industry realize big shipbuilder finances fail to accurately reflect the wider health of the waterfront, and even less understand that no single shipbuilder—no matter how big—can stand as a bellwether for America’s complex waterfront economy. Craig Hooper, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 The move is Florida legislators’ latest battlefront in an all out culture war that is seen as a bellwether for the rest of the country. Rachel Barber, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2024 Because technology is diffused across all types of companies in different sectors, big tech corporations can serve as a bellwether for the rest of the economy. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 25 Jan. 2024 Although the deal is an extension, the terms will still be studied carefully as a bellwether for what kind of profits legacy media giants can still pull out of linear cable even as most of the industry’s resources and creative energy is directed to building new streaming platforms. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 30 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bellwether.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

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Dictionary Entries Near bellwether

Cite this Entry

“Bellwether.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bellwether. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bellwether

noun
bell·​weth·​er ˈbel-ˈwet͟h-ər How to pronounce bellwether (audio)
-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

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