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
Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 11 May 2026
For any studio, the second weekend decline is the true bellwether of whether a film is becoming a water-cooler sensation.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
This was a bellwether case and there have been similar verdicts in other states.
—Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
And, experts say, the poll results in this county — largely seen as a bellwether in recent years — might not bode well for Republicans who are already facing an uphill battle heading into the November midterms where voters, in general, tend to favor the party that’s not in power.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bellwether
Cite this Entry
“Bellwether.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bellwether. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
