bellwether
noun
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We usually think of sheep more as followers than leaders, but in a flock one sheep must lead the way. Long ago, it was 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 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 that has been castrated). 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.
Example Sentences
Vulture, 10 Mar. 2023
Everything Everywhere All at Once has scored the top prize at the Producers Guild of America Awards, a key Oscar bellwether.
—Brendan Morrow, The Week, 26 Feb. 2023
Others take these results as a bellwether.
—Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 2 Nov. 2022
Ohio, once a bellwether, has become more straightforwardly Republican—Donald Trump won the state by about eight points in both 2016 and 2020—but Ryan has polled very close to Vance throughout the cycle, and has recently pulled even with him in two major polls.
—Benjamin Wallace-wells, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2022
Nevada is the quintessential political bellwether.
—Carine Hajjar, WSJ, 21 Oct. 2022
This matchup has been, in recent years, the bellwether for AFC South leadership.
—Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Sep. 2022
Copper prices on the London Metal Exchange, long considered the bellwether for the global economy, fell to levels not seen since November 2020.
—Jon Markman, Forbes, 18 July 2022
Many look to FedEx as a bellwether of the global economy.
—Julia Malleck, Quartz, 15 Mar. 2023
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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
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
15th century, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Bellwether.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bellwether. Accessed 6 May. 2023.
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Kids Definition
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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