bellwether

American  

[bel-weth-er] / ˈbɛlˌwɛð ər /

noun

1. a wether or other male sheep that leads the flock, usually bearing a bell.

2. a person or thing that assumes the leadership or forefront, as of a profession or industry.

   Paris is a bellwether of the fashion industry.

   Synonyms:

   trailblazer, front runner, pacesetter, leader

3. a person or thing that shows the existence or direction of a trend; index.

4. a person who leads a mob, mutiny, conspiracy, or the like; ringleader.

---

bellwether British  

/ ˈbɛlˌwɛðə /

noun

1. a sheep that leads the herd, often bearing a bell

2. a leader, esp one followed unquestioningly

---

Etymology

Origin of bellwether

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; bell ¹, wether

Example Sentences

The industrial distributor—often considered a bellwether for U.S. manufacturing—reported fourth-quarter earnings of 26 cents a share from $2 billion in sales.

From Barron's

“This was a decisive quarter that strengthened TSMC’s role as a bellwether for the semiconductor and AI ecosystem,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal

The big banks are among the first major U.S. companies to report earnings each quarter, and traders view the results as a bellwether for the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal

As the opening of “awards season,” it’s supposed to be a bellwether of the Oscars race, blah blah blah.

From Los Angeles Times

The Producers Guild Awards are considered one of the most reliable bellwethers in the Oscar race because their preferential ballot closely mirrors the academy’s best picture voting system.

From Los Angeles Times