noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/ˈwɛð.ɚ veɪn/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈwɛð.ə veɪn/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A mechanical device rotating around one axis and attached to an elevated object such as a roof for showing the direction of the wind.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: vane, weathercock
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An indicator; something that reflects what the current situation is.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A person or organization that changes their attitude and position based on the prevailing conditions rather than displaying any conviction.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: weathervane, vane, wind vane
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: mechanical device
Narrower terms: weathercock, wind tee
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
47 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
دَوَّارَة رِيَاح
(dawwārat riyāḥ)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Azerbaijani:
yelqovan
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Breton:
gwiblenn
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Bulgarian:
ветропоказател
(vetropokazatel)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Catalan:
penell
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Catalan:
gallet
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Chinese Mandarin:
風標 /风标
(fēngbiāo)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Czech:
korouhev
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Danish:
vindfløj
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Danish:
vejrhane
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Dutch:
windwijzer
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Dutch:
windvaan
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Esperanto:
ventoflago
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Finnish:
tuuliviiri
— a device showing the direction of the wind
French:
girouette
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Galician:
catavento
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Galician:
virantenla
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Galician:
penel
— a device showing the direction of the wind
German:
Wetterfahne
— a device showing the direction of the wind
German:
Windfahne
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Greek:
ανεμοδείκτης
(anemodeíktis)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Hungarian:
szélkakas
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Icelandic:
vindhani
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Ingrian:
lippu
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Italian:
banderuola
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Japanese:
風見鶏
(kazamidori)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Macedonian:
ве́троказ
(vétrokaz)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Norwegian Bokmål:
vindfløy
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Norwegian Nynorsk:
vindfløy
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Polish:
wiatrowskaz
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Portuguese:
cata-vento
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Portuguese:
ventoinha
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Portuguese:
catavento
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Romanian:
giruetă
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Russian:
флю́гер
(fljúger)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Serbo-Croatian:
ветроказ
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Serbo-Croatian:
vetrokaz
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Slovene:
vetrokaz
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Spanish:
veleta
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Swedish:
vindflöjel
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Swedish:
väderflöjel
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Turkish:
yelkovan
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Turkish:
pinel
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Ottoman Turkish:
یل قوغان
(yel koğan)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Ottoman Turkish:
پیكل
(piñel)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Ottoman Turkish:
پینل
(pinel)
— a device showing the direction of the wind
Welsh:
ceiliog gwynt
— a device showing the direction of the wind