weathercock

noun

weath·​er·​cock ˈwe-t͟hər-ˌkäk How to pronounce weathercock (audio)
1
: a vane often in the figure of a cock mounted so as to turn freely with the wind and show its direction
2
: a person or thing that changes readily or often

Examples of weathercock in a Sentence

when the winds suddenly shifted on social values, the weathercocks wasted no time in proclaiming their newfound passion for conservatism
Recent Examples on the Web When the Museum of Old Newbury purchased the weathercock from the First Religious Society of Newburyport in 2018, the presumption was the vane was made by either Shem Drowne or his son Thomas. Maysoon Khan, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Aug. 2019 When a new meeting house was erected on Pleasant Street in 1801, the weathercock went with it. Maysoon Khan, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'weathercock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of weathercock was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near weathercock

Cite this Entry

“Weathercock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weathercock. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

weathercock

noun
weath·​er·​cock -ˌkäk How to pronounce weathercock (audio)
: a weather vane shaped like a rooster

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