Bellwethers

What do we mean by bellwethers?

The leading sheep of a flock, having a bell hung round its neck.

Anything that indicates future trends.

A stock or bond that is widely believed to be an indicator of the overall market's condition.

As a verb, to check out library books that one has no interest in reading so as to create a false impression of demand. From the novella Bellwether, by Connie Willis, where the protagonist routinely checks out copies of classic literature that she has already read, and frequently owns, after finding that the library was discarding copies of Dickens because of a lack of circulation. Similar to phyrangulation/freeping, but offline. Urban Dictionary

Archaic term for a geriatric genital nib (specifically in males) that has been exposed to harsh weather conditions for a prolonged period of time. Urban Dictionary

A state of the United States that historically votes for the winning candidate in a given election. Urban Dictionary

Words that are spelled similarly to bellwethers:
bellwethers, bellwether, bellweather, belwether, bell wether, bell-wether.

Words that rhyme with bellwethers:
feathers, heathers, weathers, tethers, leathers, get-togethers, wethers, gethers, togethers, nethers, birdfeathers, smethers.

Adjectives that are often used to describe bellwethers:
good, important, other, such, cultural, ideological, stealthy.

Words that sound like bellwethers:
bellwethers, bellwether, bellweather, bell-wether, bell heather, blethers, polyethers, bewares, blathers, boulware, blithers, bilayers, bulgars, baleares, belair, blares, blether, bellaire, bestsellers, belters, well-wishers, blair's, bellwort.