bellwether
5 synonyms for bellwether, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Something or someone that signals which way a trend, market or opinion is about to move.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use bellwether
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
bellwether state
bellwether stock
bellwether for the industry
Common in political and financial writing; slightly formal in everyday speech.
Etymology
From Middle English, literally a wether (a castrated ram) wearing a bell so the rest of the flock would follow it.
Full origin of bellwether →Frequently asked questions
Is it bellwether or bellweather?
Bellwether is the only correct spelling. The word comes from a bell-wearing wether, an old term for a castrated ram that led the flock. Bellweather is a very common misspelling caused by the similar sound of weather.
What is the difference between a bellwether and a harbinger?
A bellwether shows the direction a trend is taking, and is usually part of the group it represents, such as a bellwether constituency. A harbinger simply announces that something is coming, often something bad, and need not be part of it.
