weather vane

or weather·vane

noun

1. a device, as a rod to which a freely rotating pointer is attached, for indicating the direction of the wind.

weather vane

noun

1. a vane designed to indicate the direction in which the wind is blowing

Word History and Origins

Origin of weather vane¹

First recorded in 1715–25

Example Sentences

Danielle Pletka, head of foreign policy at the American Enterprise Institute, has called Romney a “weather vane.”

From The Daily Beast

For the rooster who was always perched on the weather-vane on the barn was up so high and he shone like gold.

From Project Gutenberg

It has certainly seen much better days, and is rather a quaint specimen of the genus weather-vane.

From Project Gutenberg

The weather vane on Squire Bean's barn dazzles so the rooster seems to be shooting gold arrows into the river.

From Project Gutenberg

I painted a flagpole on a barn up in Massachusetts where there was four hundred dollars in gold hidden under the weather-vane.

From Project Gutenberg

Then somebody noticed that the weather-vane on top of the ball wasn't turning properly.

From Project Gutenberg