WEATHERVANE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does weathervane mean? 

• WEATHERVANE (noun)
  The noun WEATHERVANE has 1 sense:

1. mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind

  Familiarity information: WEATHERVANE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WEATHERVANE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

vane; weather vane; weathervane; wind vane

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

mechanical device (mechanism consisting of a device that works on mechanical principles)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "weathervane"):

weathercock (weathervane with a vane in the form of a rooster)

wind tee (weather vane shaped like a T and located at an airfield)

 Context examples 

"We discovered why birds don't need one: their flapping wings don't only offer propulsion — they also orient into the wind passively like a weathervane."

(Scientists discover how birds navigate crosswinds, National Science Foundation)