anemoskop

Anemoscope, also spelled anemoskop in some contexts, is an instrument for indicating the direction of the wind. The name derives from Greek anemos meaning wind and skopos meaning watcher or observer. In historical and some linguistic sources, the term is used to refer to devices that show wind direction, distinct from instruments that measure wind speed.

Historically, anemoscopes were simple wind vanes or weather vanes mounted on a pivot so that they align with the prevailing wind. The vane or arrow shape is designed to point toward the direction from which the wind is coming, providing a qualitative sense of wind origin. Some older forms combined a vane with a decorative figure or emblem.

In modern meteorology, the function of indicating wind direction is typically served by a wind vane as part of a weather station. The term anemoscope is now largely historical or regional, and it is more often encountered in historical texts, linguistic discussions, or when describing classical instruments. Contemporary usage generally prefers “wind vane” for the direction-indicating component and “anemometer” for wind speed measurement.

Designs can vary from a simple free-floating vane on a balanced axis to more elaborate indicators, but the core principle remains: a directional indicator that responds to wind pressure and aligns with the wind’s origin. The distinction remains that anemoscope denotes direction, while anemometer denotes speed.

See also: weather vane, wind vane, wind speed instrument.