bellwether

A noun referring to a person or thing that leads or indicates trends in a movement or activity, originally a sheep that leads the herd, often wearing a bell.

• 🇫🇷Nom désignant une personne ou une chose qui indique ou précède une tendance générale ; à l'origine, un mouton portant une cloche qui mène le troupeau.

1. Leader or trendsetter C1 formal

   A person or thing that leads or indicates a trend or movement.

   • The company is considered a bellwether in the tech industry.
   • This stock is a bellwether for the entire market.
   • Her fashion choices often make her a bellwether among her peers.

   🇫🇷précurseur / fer de lance

   Synonymes: forerunnerfront-runnerharbingerinnovatorleaderpacemakerpathfindertrailblazer

2. Leading sheep C2 formal

   A sheep that leads the flock, often with a bell attached to its neck.

   • The bellwether guided the flock through the mountain pass.
   • Farmers rely on the bellwether to keep the herd together.
   • The bellwether's bell could be heard from a distance.

   🇫🇷Mouton de tête

• bellwethers plural form
• bellwethers' possessive plural form
• bellwether's possessive singular form