bellwether
Leading indicator sheep
A bellwether is a leader or indicator of trends.
The term comes from the practice of hanging a bell on the lead sheep (a wether is a castrated ram) so the flock could follow the sound.
Now it typically describes something that signals what's coming: Iowa is considered a bellwether state in presidential elections.
A bellwether stock or industry predicts broader market movements.
Instrument gauging atmospheric pressure
- gaugeStandard of measurement
- signalMessage-conveying cue
- benchmarkStandard for comparison
- metricStandard of measurement
index · proxy · measure · yardstick · litmus · harbinger · precursor · omen
One who initiates styles
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- trailblazerFirst to forge ahead
- pace-setterOne who establishes speed
- front-runnerLikely winner
vanguard · standard-bearer · forerunner · pacesetter · innovator · first-mover · tastemaker · influencer
barometer
Instrument gauging atmospheric pressure
metric · index · proxy · measure · yardstick · litmus · harbinger · precursor · omen · portent
trendsetter
One who initiates styles
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- trailblazerFirst to forge ahead
- pace-setterOne who establishes speed
front-runner · vanguard · standard-bearer · forerunner · pacesetter · innovator · first-mover · tastemaker · influencer · groundbreaker
flock
Animals gathered together
herd · pasture · livestock · grazing · shepherd · wool · ovine · herding · sheepfold · meadow
precinct
Administrative jurisdiction zone
- countyLocal administrative division
- districtBounded administrative area
- swingSuspended recreational seat
voting · poll · election · constituency · demographic · voter · returns · primary · ballot · Ohio
- Sheepewe, ram, lamb, merino, fleece
- omensomens, omen, portent, portents, signs
- Pioneerspioneer, pioneers, forerunner, trailblazer, innovator
- trendsetterstrendsetter, trendsetters, influencer, fashionistas, style icons
- Wool Farmingsheep farm, sheep ranch, wool production, shearing shed, woolshed
- political jargonfilibuster, gerrymandering, caucus, pork barrel, lame duck
bellwetheranomaly
Departure from the expected
false signal · outlier · red herring · noise · random sample
- bellwether statesStates that predict winners