# bellwether

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbɛlwɛðə/ · frequency rank #64,919

## Definitions
1. The leading sheep of a flock, having a bell hung round its neck.
2. Anything that indicates future trends.
3. A stock or bond that is widely believed to be an indicator of the overall market's condition.

## Etymology
From Middle English belwether, belleweder, equivalent to bell + wether (“castrated ram”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bellwether