A wig is a covering of false hair which you wear on your head, for example because you have little hair of your own or because you want to cover up your own hair.
wig in British English
(wɪɡ)
noun
1.
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
verbWord forms: wigs, wigging or wigged(transitive)
2. obsolete
to furnish with a wig
3. British slang
to berate severely
Derived forms
wigged
adjective
wigless (ˈwigless)
adjective
wiglike (ˈwigˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C17: shortened from periwig
Wig. in British English
abbreviation for
Wigtownshire
Wigtownshire in British English
(ˈwɪɡtənˌʃɪə, -ʃə)
noun
(until 1975) a county of SW Scotland, now part of Dumfries and Galloway
wig in American English
(wɪg)
noun
1.
a.
a false covering of real or synthetic hair for the head, worn as part of a costume, to conceal baldness, etc.
b.
toupee
2. US, Slang
variously, the hair, head, or mind
verb transitiveWord forms: wigged or ˈwigging
3.
to furnish with a wig or wigs
4. US, Slang
a.
to annoy, upset, anger, etc.
b.
to make excited, ecstatic, frenzied, crazy, etc.
often with out
5. British, Informal
to scold, censure, rebuke, etc.
archaic except as a verbal noun [gave him a wigging]
verb intransitive US
6. Slang
to be or become wigged, or upset, excited, crazy, etc.
often with out
Word origin
shortened < periwig
Examples of 'wig' in a sentence
wig
He also donned a ginger wig for the fancy dress bar crawl.
The Sun (2016)
She had a responsive face and wore make-up but no wig.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I wear a wig, draw on eyebrows and wear fake eyelashes.
The Sun (2017)
Both donned blonde wigs as they lost all their hair.
The Sun (2008)
So he wore a white curly wig like a bunch of large dead worms.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The star gets a star role wearing a wacky blond wig and moustache.
The Sun (2008)
She wore skinny jeans and a blonde wig.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The pair don wigs and dresses as different members of a fictional clan.
The Sun (2011)
It had a big green foam skirt and red wig.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The police told them to stay hidden and provided them with blond wigs.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
She also sported a flowing blonde wig.
The Sun (2012)
Fancy dress shops flog wigs like this for around a tenner.
The Sun (2012)
It still clocked me with the blond wig on.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
She needed six weeks off school and had to wear a wig to cover where her head had been shaved.
The Sun (2014)
When he cycled wearing a wig, drivers kept further away.
The Sun (2010)
Why not dress in powdered wigs and make-up too?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Would you don the powdered wig, the tweed dress and the pearls?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Or hats, scarves and bright pink wigs to cover my bald head.
The Sun (2013)
This particular guy was wearing a wig and make-up and looked so different.
The Sun (2013)
He was bald, which often meant he was required to don outlandish wigs.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Police arrested two men, one of whom was dressed as a woman and wearing a wig.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He once sent a photograph of himself in a blonde wig and make-up to a superior officer.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I had a curly red wig at one point.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
For the thousands of women who use wigs to cover their baldness, the options can be deeply unsatisfying.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Now 14-year-old Faith has to wear a wig until her hair grows back.
The Sun (2008)
In other languages
wig
British English: wig /wɪɡ/ NOUN
A wig is a mass of false hair which is worn on your head.