weathercock

American  

[weth-er-kok] / ˈwɛð ərˌkɒk /

noun

1. a weather vane with the figure of a rooster on it.

2. (loosely) any weather vane.

3. a person who readily adopts the latest fads, opinions, etc..

   The count is the weathercock of the jet set.

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weathercock British  

/ ˈwɛðəˌkɒk /

noun

1. a weather vane in the form of a cock

2. a person who is fickle or changeable

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verb

1. (intr) (of an aircraft) to turn or tend to turn into the wind

Etymology

Origin of weathercock

First recorded in 1250–1300, weathercock is from the Middle English word wedercoc. See weather, cock ¹

Example Sentences

No matter where we find ourselves in these stories, the author’s mind, and thus the reader’s, seems turned like a weathercock toward Homewood.

From New York Times

There was a gust of wind, then, so strong that it rattled the windows of the village, and whirled and spun the weathercocks until they could not tell north from west or south from east.

From Literature

The bronze weathercock tumbled, taking with it three relics sealed inside in 1935.

From Washington Times

There was a flagstaff in the garden, and on the roof was a gilt weathercock shaped like a telescope.

From Literature

What makes this ten times worse than otherwise it would be, we are never constant to one dress, but are as fickle and uncertain as weathercocks—or the men that preach under them.

From Project Gutenberg