weathervane

IPA/ˈweðəveɪn/
IPA/ˈweðərveɪn/

weathervane — noun

  • weathervanesingular
  • weathervanesplural

1. a piece of metal fixed high on a roof or pole that rotates freely on a rod, poin

1.nounB2
Definition

a piece of metal fixed high on a roof or pole that rotates freely on a rod, pointing into the moving air and revealing where the wind comes from; many carry a pointer with a pointed tip and a wide tail.

Example

A copper weathervane on the barn creaked as it turned to face the north wind.

Before sailing, the fisherman glanced at the church weathervane to check the wind.

collocation: glance at the weathervane

Common collocations
  • a copper / iron / metal weathervane
  • a rooster-shaped weathervane
  • the weathervane turns / spins / creaks
  • check / look at / glance at the weathervane
Synonyms
  • wind vane

    the more general technical term; weathervane is the everyday word for the same object

  • vane

    short form used in compound words (e.g. 'wind vane'); less common alone

Grammar Patterns

a/the weathervane

Usage Note

Often placed on barns, churches, or other tall buildings. The turning arrow is called a pointer or indicator and the fixed cross-piece shows the four cardinal directions (N, S, E, W).

Common Mistakes

The weathervane points the weather.
The weathervane shows the direction of the wind.
a weathervane indicates wind direction, not the weather itself.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Weathervane is the everyday word for a metal object on a roof that turns to show where the wind comes from. Wind vane is the more technical term used in meteorology and engineering; the two words describe the same device. A weathercock is a specific type of weathervane shaped like a rooster — it is common on old churches and farms. A windsock (also called a wind cone) is a fabric tube, open at both ends, that swells and points when the wind blows; it is found at airports and on highways, not on rooftops. Example: 'The farmer glanced at the weathervane before going outside, while the pilot checked the windsock at the edge of the runway.'

weathervane ↗wind vane ↗weathercock ↗windsock

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • check the weathervane
  • weathervane turns to
  • shaped like a rooster

Prepositions

  • on top of

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Weathervane comes from two Old English words: 'weder' (meaning weather, air, or wind) and 'fana' (meaning flag or banner). In the Middle Ages, a 'vane' was a flag or pennant. People later attached the word 'weather' to distinguish wind-direction devices from other kinds of vanes. The spelling 'vane' instead of 'fane' was influenced by the word 'vane' meaning a blade (as in a windmill vane), which comes from a different Old English root 'fann' (a winnowing fan).

First known use

1721

1721, in the meaning defined above