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peruke

American  
[puh-rook] / pəˈruk /

noun

  1. a man's wig of the 17th and 18th centuries, usually powdered and gathered at the back of the neck with a ribbon; periwig.


peruke British  
/ pəˈruːk /

noun

  1. Also called: periwig.  a type of wig for men, fashionable in the 17th and 18th centuries

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of peruke

First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French perru(c)que, “head of hair, wig”; further origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

A peruke was made of long hair, often with curls on the sides, and was sometimes drawn back on the nape of the neck.

From BBC Dec. 30, 2021

The leading man, Charles Macklin, decided to pick a fight about a peruke with his fellow actor, Thomas Hallam.

From The Guardian Oct. 5, 2012

Peter Ustinov has donned a peruke and a music-hall German accent to star in his own caustic comedy, Beethoven's Tenth.

From Time Magazine Archive

Harpo is the one in the curled peruke whose zany glee is never accompanied by a syllable.

From Time Magazine Archive

I didn’t know what a peruke was, and I didn’t want to ask.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

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