A Weather Vane Shows Where the Wind Comes From
A vane is a blade turned by wind or water. A weather vane points into the wind, not with it.
A vane is a broad blade moved by wind or water, as on a weather vane or a windmill. A weather vane points *into* the wind, not along with it: the tail catches more air than the head, so the arrow swings until it faces the oncoming breeze. A vane reading north means a north wind, which is a wind coming from the north. *Vane* is a dialect form of *fane*, Old English for a flag or banner, which is why the earliest ones were cloth.
- A wind blade. *A weather vane.*
- A windmill sail. *The vanes.*
- A feather's blade. *The vane of a feather.*
- Fane — the older form. *A fane.*
- Old English — *fana*, a flag. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | vane | A vane. |
| Plural | vanes | Vanes. |
| Compound | weather vane | A weather vane. |
| Older form | fane | A fane. |
| German | Fahne | A flag. |
- The vane swung to the east.Weather.
- Windmill vanes turned slowly.Machinery.
- Fana meant a flag.Etymology.
How a weather vane works
- The tail presents a large surface to the wind
- The head is small and often weighted
- Wind pushes the tail downwind until it is balanced
- The head then points into the oncoming wind
- Winds are named for where they come from, not where they go
A dialect variant of *fane*, from Old English *fana*, a flag, related to German *Fahne*.
Does a weather vane point with the wind?
No. It points into the wind, because the large tail is pushed downwind until the head faces the oncoming air.
Why is a north wind called that?
Because winds are named for the direction they come from, which is what a vane shows.