A bellwether is any entity in a given arena that serves to create or influence trends or to presage future happenings. The term is derived from the Middle English bellewether and refers to the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram (a wether) in order that this animal might lead its flock of sheep. Connie Willis at Clarion West, 1998 Constance Elaine Trimmer Willis (born 31 December 1945) is an American science fiction writer. ... Bellwether a novel by Connie Willis is a comedy, a fairy tale, a romance, and presents an unsettling concept of human culture. ... Middle English is the name given by historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of 1066 and the mid-to-late 15th century, when the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, began to become widespread, a process aided by the... A bell is a simple sound-making device. ... Castration, gelding, neutering, orchiectomy or orchidectomy is any action, surgical or otherwise, by which a biological male loses use of the testes. ... Binomial name Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758 The domestic sheep (Ovis aries), the most common species of the sheep genus (Ovis), is a woolly ruminant quadruped which probably descends from the wild mouflon of south-central and south-west Asia. ... Species See text. ...

In sociology, the term is applied in the active sense to a person or group of people who tend to create, influence or set trends. Sociology (from Latin: socius, companion; and the suffix -ology, the study of, from Greek λόγος, lógos, knowledge [1]) is the systematic and scientific study of society, including patterns of social relationships, social action, and culture[2]. Areas studied in sociology can range from the analysis of brief contacts between anonymous... Look up trend, trendy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In politics, the term is more often applied in the passive sense to describe a geographic region where political tendencies match in microcosm those of a wider area, such that the result of an election in the former region might predict the eventual result in the latter. In a Westminster-style election, for example, a constituency, the control of which tends frequently to change, can mirror in its popular vote the result on a national scale. In the United Kingdom, Basildon is one such constituency, having reflected the overall result in every General Election since its creation in 1974. In Australia, the Federal seat of Eden-Monaro has been won by the party that formed the Government of the day in every Federal election since 1972. In Canada, Sarnia-Lambton has voted for the winning party in every single federal election since 1963. For other uses, see Politics (disambiguation). ... For the definition of the word microcosm, see here. ... This article is about the political process. ... The Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster, in London. ... A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures, goals or loyalty. ... This article is about the political process. ... Basildon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... A general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election. ... The Division of Eden-Monaro is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. ... Sarnia—Lambton in relation to southern Ontario ridings For the provincial electoral district, see Sarnia—Lambton (provincial electoral district) Sarnia—Lambton (formerly known as Sarnia) is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. ...

In the United States, Missouri, often referred to as the Missouri bellwether, is considered such a region, having produced, beginning in 1904, the same outcome as the national results in every presidential election save that of 1956. The American bellwether states are [1]: This article is about the U.S. state. ... Mean center of population for the United States, 1790–2000 (U.S. Census Bureau) The Missouri bellwether is a political phenomenon that notes that the state of Missouri has voted for the winner in every U.S. Presidential election since 1904 except in 1956. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ...

• Missouri - 1 miss (1956) from 1904 on, perfect since 1960
• Nevada - 1 miss (1976) from 1912 on, perfect since 1980
• Tennessee - 1 miss (1960) from 1928 on, perfect since 1964
• Ohio - 2 misses (1944, 1960) from 1896 on, perfect since 1964
• Delaware - 2 misses (2000, 2004) from 1952 on

In the stock market, a bellwether is the stock of a company that is regarded as a leader in its given industry. The performance of the stock is said to reflect the performance of the industry in general. These stocks are used as barometers for the rest of the market. General Motors is an example of a bellwether stock. As the major auto maker in the US, it sets the tone for the rest of the industry. General Motors also has contracts with companies in other industries so its performance is reflected in other sectors of the market. This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Nevada. ... This article is about the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Delaware. ... A stock market is a market for the trading of company stock, and derivatives of same; both of these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those only traded privately. ... Look up company in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Trends in expenditure in the UK advertising and marketing industry are monitored in the quarterly Bellwether Report, published by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is the trade body and professional institute for leading agencies in the UKs advertising, media and marketing communications industry, covering the creative, digital, direct marketing, healthcare, media, outdoor, sales promotion and sponsorship sectors. ...

See also

Look up Bellwether in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• As Maine goes, so goes the nation
• Missouri bellwether
• Swing state