English Dictionary

BELLWETHER

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bellwether mean? 

BELLWETHER (noun)
  The noun BELLWETHER has 2 senses:

1. someone who assumes leadership of a movement or activityplay

2. sheep that leads the herd often wearing a bellplay

  Familiarity information: BELLWETHER used as a noun is rare.


 Dictionary entry details 


BELLWETHER (noun)


Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who assumes leadership of a movement or activity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("bellwether" is a kind of...):

leader (a person who rules or guides or inspires others)


Sense 2

Meaning:

Sheep that leads the herd often wearing a bell

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("bellwether" is a kind of...):

wether (male sheep especially a castrated one)


 Context examples 


Lake Chad, which sits at the center of this transition zone, serves as a bellwether for changing conditions in the Sahel.

(New study finds world’s largest desert, the Sahara, has grown by 10 percent since 1920, National Science Foundation)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"God blesses a drunk." (English proverb)

"The eagle flies in the sky, but nests on the ground." (Albanian proverb)

"Leading by example is better than giving an advice." (Arabic proverb)

"Eat a big bite but don't say a big statement." (Cypriot proverb)



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