Definition of Bellwether

1. Noun. Someone who assumes leadership of a movement or activity.

Generic synonyms: Leader

2. Noun. Sheep that leads the herd often wearing a bell.
Generic synonyms: Wether

Definition of Bellwether

1. n. A wether, or sheep, which leads the flock, with a bell on his neck.

Definition of Bellwether

1. Noun. The leading sheep of a flock, having a bell hung round its neck. ¹

2. Noun. Anything that indicates future trends. ¹

3. Noun. A stock or bond that is widely believed to be an indicator of the overall market's condition. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Bellwether

1. [n -S]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Bellwether

bellringers
bellringing
bellringings
bellrope
bellropes
bells
bells and smells
bells and whistles
bells of Ireland
bells the cat
belltower
belltowers
belluine
bellweather
bellweathers
bellwether (current term)
bellwethers
bellwort
bellworts
belly
belly-dance
belly-flop
belly-god
belly-gods
belly-land
belly-up
belly-up(p)
belly-wark

Literary usage of Bellwether

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The English Illustrated Magazine (1907)
"Under ordinary circumstances our visit should now terminate ; but Evelina has been the life and soul of the party, and Lady bellwether has fallen quite in ..."

2. The Court and Times of Charles the First: Illustrated by Authentic and by Thomas [Birch, Cyprien de Gamaches, Cyprien, Robert Folkestone Williams (1848)
"He saw two goodly pastures; a flock of sheep in one of them; and a bellwether alone in the other; a great ditch between them both, and a narrow bridge over ..."

3. An Anecdotal History of the British Parliament: From the Earliest Periods to by George Henry Jennings (1892)
"Allowed to proceed ho said, " he saw two good pastures ; a flock of sheep was in the one, and a bellwether alone in the other ; a great ditch was between ..."

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