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WEATHERVANE NOMENCLATURE
by West Coast Weather Vanes
Weather Vane, Weathervane, Weather Vanes, and Weathervanes: What is the correct nomenclature?
On our website you will see the words shown above spelled in all their variations. This is because the words “weathervane” and “weather vane” are synonymous. We include both versions of the words to make it easier for those who share our passion for weather vanes to find their way to our website.
Below is some additional information about these words, including their origins, spellings in other languages, history, etc.
Definition: A mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind. Originally used as a wind vane, it is an instrument that indicates the wind direction. The name developed based on observations on what kind of weather occurred with certain wind directions.
Singular: weathervane, weather vane
Plural: weathervanes, weather vanes
Synonyms:
weathervane, vane, wind vane
Hypernym: mechanical device (mechanism consisting of a device that works
on mechanical principles)
Hyponym: weathercock (weathervane with a vane in the form of a rooster)
Origin of the word “weather
vane”:
The
word 'vane' comes from the Anglo-Saxon word 'fane' meaning 'flag'.
1715–25
The word “weather vane” in other languages:
Dansk (Danish): n. - vejrhane, vindfløj
Nederlands (Dutch): n - windvaan
Français (French): n. - girouette
Deutsch (German): n. - Wetterfahne
Ελληνική (Greek): n. - (μετεωρ.) ανεμοδείκτης, ανεμοδούρα
Italiano (Italian): n. - banderuola
Português (Portuguese): n. - cata-vento (m)
Русский (Russian): n. - флюгер
Español (Spanish): n. - veleta
Svenska (Swedish): n. – vindflöjel
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified)): 风标, 风向计
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional)): n. - 風標, 風向計
한국어 (Korean): n. - 바람개비 , 풍향계
日本語 (Japanese): n. - 風見
العربيه (Arabic): (الاسم) الدوارة أي دليل اتجاه الريح
עברית (Hebrew): n. - שבשבת, נס-הרוח
More general information on weathervanes:
They are typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. Creative designs often adorn the tops of barns and houses. Although partly functional, weather vanes are generally decorative, often featuring the traditional cockerel design with letters indicating the points of the compass. Other common motifs include ships, arrows and horses. Not all weather vanes have pointers.
How a Weather Vane works: The design of a wind vane is such that the weight is evenly distributed each side of the surface, but the surface area is unequally divided, so that the pointer can move freely on its axis. The side with the larger area is blown away from the wind direction. The pointer is therefore always on the smaller side (a north wind is one that blows from the north). Most wind vanes have directional markers beneath the arrow, aligned with the geographic directions.
To obtain an accurate reading, the wind vane must be located well above the ground and away from buildings, trees, and other objects which interfere with the true wind direction. Changing wind direction can be meaningful when coordinated with other apparent sky conditions, enabling the user to make simple short range forecasts.
Historical Origins of Weather Vanes:
The Tower of the Winds on the ancient Roman agora in Athens once bore on its roof a wind vane in the form of a bronze Triton holding a rod in his outstretched hand, rotating as the wind changed direction. Below, the frieze was adorned with the eight wind deities. The eight meter high structure also featured sundials, and a water clock inside dates from around 50 BC.
The Tower of the Winds
The wind vane evolved from a Triton to a weathercock as the Roman Empire converted to Christianity. Many churches have a weathercock on the tower or spire. The cock refers to the fall of St Peter and to intimate the necessity for watchfulness and humility.
Further reading on Weather Vanes:
A.B & W.T. Westervelt, American Antique Weather Vanes: The Complete Illustrated Westervelt Catalog of 1883. New York: Dover, 1982
American Folk Art from the Shelburne Museum in Vermont (Catalog of the) Albright-knox Art Gallery,. Buffalo, NY, 1965 pp.20, 23-28
Bishop, Robert Charles, A Gallery of American Weather Vanes and Whirligigs, New York: Dutton, 1981 or New York: Bonanza Books, Distributed by Crown, 1984, c.1981
Buchert, Ilse., Weathercocks and Weather Creatures: some examples of early American folk art from the collection of the Shelburne Museum. Newport R.I., Third & Elm Press, 1970
Burnell, Marcia, Heritage Above, A Tribute to Maine's Tradition of Weather Vanes, Down East Books, Camden Maine, 1991
Coolidge, John T.,Weather Vanities, Milton, MA, 1978
Crepeau, Pierre, Pointing at the Wind: The Weather Vane Collection of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, Canadian Museum c. 1990
Fitzgerald, Ken, Weather Vanes and Whirligigs, New York: Clarkson n. Potter, 1967
Geismar, Tom & Kahn, Harvey, Spiritually Moving: A Collection of American Folk Art Sculpture, New York: Hacker Art Books, 1998
Kaye, Myrna, Yankee Weather Vanes, New York, Dutton, 1975
Kenneth Lynch & Sons, Weather Vanes, Canterbury, Conn, Canterbury Pub. Co., c1971, series title: Architectural handbook series
Klamkin, Charles, Weather Vanes: The History, Design and Manufacture of an American Folk Art, New York, Hawthorn Books, 1973
Messent, Claude John Wilson, The Weather Vanes of Norfolk & Norwich, Norwich, Fletcher & son, limited, 1937
Miller, Steve, The Art of the Weather Vane, Schiffer Publishing, Exton Penn.1984
Mockridge, Patricia, Weather Vanes of Great Britain, London: R. Hale, 1990
Needham, Albert, English Weather Vanes, These Stories and Legends from Medieval to Modern Times. Haywards Heath, Sussex, C. Clarke, 1953
Reaveley, Mabel E., Weather Vane Secrets, Westford, MA. 1984
Whirligigs & Weather Vanes: Contemporary Sculpture Whirligigs & Weather Vanes: Contemporary Sculpture. Eugene OR: Visual Arts Resources 1994