peruke
[puh-rook]
- a man's wig of the 17th and 18th centuries, usually powdered and gathered at the back of the neck with a ribbon; periwig.
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Origin of peruke
First recorded in 1540–50, peruke is from the Middle French word perruque head of hair, wig, of disputed orig.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for perukes
Historical Examples
To be a gentleman was a matter of silk breeches and perukes and late hours?
In the ValleyHarold Frederic
Wigs, perukes, or periwigs, were revived in the seventeenth century.
Popular Technology, Vol. I (of 2)Edward Hazen
Cards and tables do offend him, and perukes do fall within the compass of his theme.
Calamities and Quarrels of AuthorsIsaac Disraeli
The divine was a man who placed charity above rubrics, and discarded bigotry as he did perukes.
Mrs. Archer went softly up to the maker of perukes, and whispered something in his ear.
The MonctonsSusanna Moodie
peruke
- a type of wig for men, fashionable in the 17th and 18th centuriesAlso called: periwig
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Word Origin
C16: from French perruque, from Italian perrucca wig, of obscure origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for perukes
peruke
n.
1540s, "natural head of hair," from Middle French perruque (late 15c.), from Italian perrucca "head of hair, wig," of uncertain origin; supposed by some to be connected to Latin pilus "hair," "but the phonetic difficulties are considerable" [OED]. Meaning "artificial head of hair, periwig" is attested from 1560s.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper