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
Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 5 June 2025
Interacting with animals, and horses in particular, can serve as a bellwether and teach officers self-regulation.
—Katja Ridderbusch, NPR, 26 May 2025
Walmart as a bellwether While Walmart didn't publicly speak out about tariffs for weeks after that, McMillon was one of the retail leaders who met with Trump in late April at the White House about his trade policies.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 20 May 2025
Budget constraints Recent slowness in home improvement retail - often viewed as a bellwether for economic health - has observers watching Home Depot closely for signs of a downturn.
—Savyata Mishra, USA Today, 20 May 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 26 Jun. 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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