wig

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˈwɪg/ 🇺🇸 /ˈwɪg/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    A covering of artificial hair worn on the head to conceal baldness, for disguise, as part of a costume, or as a fashion accessory.; A wig worn by judges and barristers in certain courts, especially in Britain and some Commonwealth countries, as a symbol of office.; (Slang) A person's mind or sanity; used in expressions like 'flip one's wig' meaning to lose one's composure or go crazy.; (Informal, US) A reprimand or scolding; a wigging.; (Archaic) A type of small cake or bun, often spiced, popular in England from the 17th to 19th centuries.
  2. verb
    To provide with a wig; to fit or dress with a wig.; (Slang) To become extremely excited, upset, or lose one's composure; often used with 'out'.; (British, informal) To reprimand or scold someone severely; to give someone a wigging.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: wigs 3rd sing.: wigs Past: wigged Past part.: wigged Pres part.: wigging

Collocations

wear a wigput on a wigtake off a wigwig outbig wig

Derivatives

wigletwiggerybigwigperiwigwigged

Synonyms

hairpiecetoupeeperiwigpostichefalse hair

Commonly confused

toupee
EN: A toupee is a small partial wig covering only the top of the head, while a wig covers the entire head.
periwig
EN: A periwig is a large, elaborate full wig historically worn in the 17th–18th centuries; 'wig' is the general modern term.

Spelling tips

EN: Double the 'g' before vowel suffixes: 'wigged', 'wigging' (not *wiged or *wiging).

💬 Examples

  1. She wore a blonde wig to the costume party.

  2. The judge adjusted his wig before delivering the verdict.

  3. He nearly flipped his wig when he heard the news.

  4. The boss gave him a real wig for being late again.

  5. She baked a batch of wigs for the afternoon tea.

  6. The theatrical company wigs all its actors before each performance.

  7. She totally wigged out when she saw the spider on her pillow.

  8. The sergeant wiggled the recruits for their sloppy uniforms.