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• vane
  vane

  noun

  weather vane.
• Vane
  Vane

  noun

  Sir Henry Sir Harry Vane, 1613–62, British statesman and author.

vane

¹ American  

[vayn] / veɪn /

noun

• vanes
  plural

1. weather vane.

2. a blade, plate, sail, etc., in the wheel of a windmill, to be moved by the air.

3. any of a number of blades or plates attached radially to a rotating drum or cylinder, as in a turbine or pump, that move or are moved by a fluid, as steam, water, hot gases, or air.

4. a person who is readily changeable or fickle.

5. Aerospace.

   1. any fixed or movable plane surface on the outside of a rocket providing directional control while the rocket is within the atmosphere.

   2. a similar plane surface located in the exhaust jet of a reaction engine, providing directional control while the engine is firing.

6. Ornithology. the web of a feather.

7. Navigation, Surveying. either of two fixed projections for sighting an alidade or the like.

8. Archery. feather.

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Vane ² American  

[vayn] / veɪn /

noun

1. Sir Henry Sir Harry Vane, 1613–62, British statesman and author.

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Vane ¹ British  

/ veɪn /

noun

1. Sir Henry, known as Sir Harry Vane. 1613–62, English Puritan statesman and colonial administrator; governor of Massachusetts (1636–37). He was executed for high treason after the Restoration

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vane ² British  

/ veɪn /

noun

1. Also called: weather vane, wind vane. a flat plate or blade of metal mounted on a vertical axis in an exposed position to indicate wind direction

2. any one of the flat blades or sails forming part of the wheel of a windmill

3. any flat or shaped plate used to direct fluid flow, esp a stator blade in a turbine, etc

4. a fin or plate fitted to a projectile or missile to provide stabilization or guidance

5. ornithol the flat part of a feather, consisting of two rows of barbs on either side of the shaft

6. surveying

   1. a sight on a quadrant or compass

   2. the movable marker on a levelling staff

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vane Scientific  

/ vān /

1. The flattened, weblike part of a feather, consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the rachis.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• multivane
  adjective
• vaned
  adjective
• vaneless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vanes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vane

before 1100; Middle English; Old English fana flag; cognate with German Fahne flag, Gothic fana segment of cloth; cf. gonfanon

Explanation

Vane is usually short for “weathervane.” If the vane on top of the building is spinning, it must be windy outside. In addition to being a device that shows you the direction of the wind, a vane can help direct flying things through the wind, as bird lovers and archers, among others, know. Be careful not to mistake vane for its homonyms, vein and vain. If you're so vain that you'll slash at your veins if the wind messes up your hair, check the vane before going out. Or just wear a hat.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vane Vane vanes

The remarks by Williams are especially important because he is a top ally of Fed Chair Jerome Powell and is seen as a weather vane for the bank’s future moves.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 3, 2026

Election betting is not so much a weather vane as a mechanism for bettors to reflect the world as they see it, and make or lose money doing so.

From Slate ● Dec. 10, 2025

A museum should not change directions like a weather vane but give us the reassurance that some things are timeless and provide us with the history and progression of art.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2023

However, there is a much deeper symbolism in the bird on the weather vane flying over George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 15, 2022

The mystery pistol was shaking and sliding back and forth in my hand same as a weather vane in a January storm.

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

The author charts a direct line from the writings of Vane and Locke through those of American Patriots such as John Adams and his contemporaries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

Alongside Aparicio is Sri Lankan actress Merle Oberon, who is believed to have Māori heritage, for her performance as Kitty Vane in Sidney Franklin's 1933 film “The Dark Angel.”

From Salon ● Jan. 23, 2024

And in the character of Harriet Vane, Sayers also conjured a mystery writer much like herself, before Mrs. Oliver appeared, and in a far more directly romantic context.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2023

"I thought it was a joke at first", carpenter Roger Vane told me.

From BBC ● May 18, 2023

He darted forward, sidestepped Romilda Vane again, and pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

In Tampa, Fla., it will increase the output of blades and vanes for gas turbines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026

We can smell mulch, feel the vanes of feathers, bump into doors and taste peppermints.

From New York Times ● May 30, 2023

Navy identified as jet vanes for medium-range ballistic missiles.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 2, 2023

Navy identified as jet vanes for medium-range ballistic missiles, as well as devices the Navy identified as “impact sensor covers” that go on the tips of those missiles.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 1, 2023

“Weather vanes don’t have names,” Constantin said, kicking at the ground.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood