wig

[wig]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wig ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an artificial covering of hair for all or most of the head, of either synthetic or natural hair, worn to be stylish or more attractive.

a similar head covering, worn in one's official capacity, as part of a costume, disguise, etc.

a toupee or hairpiece.

British Informal. a wigging.

verb (used with object), wigged, wig·ging.

to furnish with a wig.

British Informal. to reprimand or reprove severely; scold.

Verb Phrases

wig out, Slang.

to be intoxicated with narcotic drugs.
to make or become wildly excited or enthusiastic: She wigs out over every rock star that comes along.

Idioms

flip one's wig, Slang. lid(def 8).

Origin of wig

First recorded in 1665–75; short for periwig

Related formswig·less, adjectivewig·like, adjectiveun·wig, verb (used with object), un·wigged, un·wig·ging.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for wig

toupee, rug, periwig, peruke, postiche

Examples from the Web for wig

Contemporary Examples of wig

Lena, Emilia, and I are laughing because we sorted the wig thing out nice and early.
Natalie Dormer Talks ‘Hunger Games,’ Feminism, and Why ‘Game of Thrones’ Needs More Dick
Marlow Stern
November 21, 2014
When the music gets going, the woman in the Maude costume rocks so hard her wig comes loose.
Dudes and Maudes Abide at New York City Lebowski Fest
Rich Goldstein
August 25, 2014
They also designed a wig and jumpsuit specifically for the test.
‘Get On Up’ Star Chadwick Boseman on Becoming James Brown—With A Little Help From Mick Jagger
Marlow Stern
August 4, 2014
So Jefferson, going “Life, Liberty, and… and…” pulled “Pursuit of Happiness” out of his wig.
What Did TJ Mean By “Pursuit of Happiness,” Anyway?
P. J. O’Rourke
June 8, 2014
The comedy was on-brand for Dunham, but it was hard not to notice that she was, basically, playing Hannah Horvath in a wig.
Lena Dunham on 'SNL' Review: Very Funny, Very Dunham-y
Kevin Fallon
March 9, 2014

Historical Examples of wig

His red slave's wig is thus made a feature in the characterization.
The Dramatic Values in Plautus
Wilton Wallace Blancke
Furniture builder, salon decorator, wig maker, and constructor.
Who Was Who: 5000 B. C. to Date
Anonymous
It is so called from a fancied resemblance to a wig on a barber's block.
The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise
M. E. Hard
A little later her wig fell off, and for an instant her head was bald.
The Eternal City
Hall Caine
The Deemster's wig had been taken off and tossed on to the dressing-table.
The Manxman
Hall Caine

British Dictionary definitions for wig

wig

noun

an artificial head of hair, either human or synthetic, worn to disguise baldness, as part of a theatrical or ceremonial dress, as a disguise, or for adornment

verb wigs, wigging or wigged (tr)

obsolete to furnish with a wig

British slang to berate severely

Word Origin for wig

C17: shortened from periwig

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

Word Origin and History for wig

1670s, shortened form of periwig. Meaning "person who wears a wig (professionally)" is from 1828. The verb meaning "to behave hysterically" (usually with out) is attested from 1955, from notion in to flip one's wig. Cf. dash my wig!, a former mild imprecation (1797), also wigs on the green (1856), Irish colloquial for "a fight or rumble" (because wigs are likely to get detached from owners in such an event).

Idioms and Phrases with wig

wig

In addition to the idiom beginning with wig

wig out

also see:

flip one's lid (wig)