wether

American  

[weth-er] / ˈwɛð ər /

noun

1. a castrated male sheep.

2. Also called wether wool.  wool from previously shorn sheep.

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wether British  

/ ˈwɛðə /

noun

1. a male sheep, esp a castrated one

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Etymology

Origin of wether

before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old Saxon withar, Old High German widar, Old Norse vethr, Gothic withrus

Explanation

A wether is a ram or billy goat that was castrated at a young age. Wethers can be housed with the female sheep or goats, but intact bucks and rams usually are kept separately. Wether comes from an Old English word for – surprise!— a castrated ram. This word has been around as long as people have been talking about sheep, which is a long time. A bellwether is literally the lead wether that wears a bell, but now it’s come to refer to any leader. The word wether is rarely used unless you’re a shepherd or a farmer, for the rest of us it’s often just the wrong homophone, whether we care to admit it or not.

Example Sentences

At the time I just said it made you think wether you want to carry on in football.

From The Guardian • Feb. 8, 2019

I don’t know wether you are aware of this, but I, too, am a tarrif man.

From Washington Post • Dec. 10, 2018

It's time for many to realize that despite our personal fellings towards any government, in the end we will, at one time or another be financially supporting them wether we like it or not.

From New York Times • Jan. 15, 2015

Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn, who will become deputy majority leader next year, said that the conference has plenty of time to decide wether to stay nuclear.

From Washington Times • Nov. 19, 2014

His teeal tho’ simple, it wur grand, An’ varry gud te understand,— His stick steead up aboon his hand, T’awd fashion’d way; His cooat an’ hat wur wether tann’d, A duffil gray.

From Awd Isaac, The Steeple Chase, and other Poems With a glossary of the Yorkshire Dialect by Castillo, John