English Explanatory Dictionary

bellwether

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The leading sheep of a flock, having a bell hung round its neck.
  2. Anything that indicates future trends.
  3. A stock or bond that is widely believed to be an indicator of the overall market's condition.

Pronunciation

/ˈbɛlwɛðə/ /ˈbɛlwɛðɚ/ en-us-bellwether.ogg

Word forms

bellwether bellwethers bell-wether bellweather belwether

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der. Proto-Germanic *bellǭ Proto-West Germanic *bellā Old English belle Middle English belle Proto-Indo-European *wet- Proto-Indo-European *wétrusder. Proto-Germanic *weþruz Proto-West Germanic *weþru Old English weþer Middle English wether Middle English belwether English bellwether From Middle English belwether, belleweder, equivalent to bell + wether (“castrated ram”).

Synonyms

gauge indicator sign

Related words

omen harbinger

Derived words

bellwether state bellwether stock
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