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.

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bellwether British  

/ ˈbɛlˌwɛðə /

noun

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

2. a leader, esp one followed unquestioningly

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Etymology

Origin of bellwether

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

Explanation

Use the word bellwether to indicate someone or something that takes the lead in a group or movement. Literally, a bellwether is a sheep (often wearing a bell) that leads a herd. Unless you herd sheep, you probably don't see many bellwethers that say "Baaa." That's the origin of this word, but there are many other types of bellwethers who lead the way in different areas. Apple was a bellwether in technology. Rosa Parks was a bellwether in civil rights. And, during election season, those "bellwether states" are the ones where the primaries seem to predict the outcome of a party's nomination.

Example Sentences

Pacific Electric will be on the small side for a theater, a more intimate peer of downtown’s Regent or Bellwether.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

Earnings season has demonstrated that company fundamentals remain healthy, and the recent selloff has helped recalibrate valuations, notes Clark Bellin, chief investment officer of Bellwether Wealth.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

In 2000, she established the Bellwether Prize, a $25,000 award designed to celebrate “socially engaged fiction” that addresses “issues of social justice and the impact of culture and politics on human relationships.”

From Washington Post • Oct. 25, 2022

Founder and funder of the Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, Kingsolver has also authored two books each of essays and poetry and three nonfiction works.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2022

The business of the Bureau of Ethereal Claims at Washington was conducted by a moderate force of clerks, under the direction of General Bellwether.

From Stories by American Authors, Volume 1 by Various