bellwether

bell·weth·er

B b

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [bel-weth-er]
- /ˈbɛlˌwɛð ər/
- /ˈbelˌwe.ðər/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [bel-weth-er]
- /ˈbɛlˌwɛð ər/

Definitions of bellwether word

countable noun bellwether If you describe something as a bellwether, you mean that it is an indication of the way a situation is changing. 3
noun bellwether a sheep that leads the herd, often bearing a bell 3
noun bellwether a leader, esp one followed unquestioningly 3
noun bellwether a male sheep, usually wearing a bell, that leads the flock 3
noun bellwether a leader, esp. of a sheeplike crowd 3
noun bellwether anything suggesting the general tendency or direction of events, style, etc. 3

See all 16 definitions of bellwether

Information block about the term

Origin of bellwether

First appearance:

before 1400

One of the 24% oldest English words

late Middle English word dating back to 1400-50; See origin at bell1, wether

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Bellwether

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Bellwether

bellwether popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 59% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.

This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.

bellwether usage trend in Literature

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Synonyms for bellwether

noun bellwether

forerunner — predecessor; ancestor; forebear; precursor.
guide — to assist (a person) to travel through, or reach a destination in, an unfamiliar area, as by accompanying or giving directions to the person: He guided us through the forest.
lead — to cover, line, weight, treat, or impregnate with lead or one of its compounds.
sheep — any of numerous ruminant mammals of the genus Ovis, of the family Bovidae, closely related to the goats, especially O. aries, bred in a number of domesticated varieties.
doyen — the senior member, as in age, rank, or experience, of a group, class, profession, etc.

All 5 Synonyms of bellwether