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wig

wig

220 1.3
A fake hair covering for the whole head used to hide hair loss or for acting and fashion
  • noun
  • /wɪg/
translation icon : peluca
  • She wore a beautiful wig for the theater performance to portray her character accurately.
  • wear a wig
  • powdered wig
  • make a wig

I feel like colored wigs are so in right now.

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Examples

  • I just had a meeting about doing a wig line and then music.

  • Who do you know from history who wore a wig like the ones pictured?

    Academic text (1999)
  • First of all, you get to wear this incredible wig, this amazing wig.

  • Yeah, so I actually brought a wig cap from home.

  • Also what I like about this wig, and it's a really cheap wig.

  • I have to test all these wigs by tomorrow.

  • I feel like colored wigs are so in right now.

  • I promise that this wig will transform you from ugly to irresistible.

  • Well, as far as I'm concerned, without your wig on, you're only half dressed.

  • We were interested to learn that wigs were hand-sewn and made from human hair or horse hair.

    Academic text (1999)

Synonyms

hairpiece
vswig
18 3.6

A piece of hair worn to hide baldness or change hairstyle

is used as a full head covering rather than a small added piece
horsehair wig
vswig
  • UK
1 9.0

A head covering made from horse hair that judges wear in court

is a general head covering for disguise or fashion, not only court formality
sheitel
vswig
  • Informal
9.9

A wig people wear to change how their hair looks

is the neutral, standard term for full head hair coverings
false hair
vswig
3.7

Pieces of real or fake strands worn on the head to hide thin spots and change style

is specifically a full head covering mainly for concealment or fashion
Afro-wig
vswig
7.2

A wig of tight, thick curls that makes hair look big and round

is a general full hair covering not limited to any single hairstyle
bagwig
vswig
  • Archaic
9.9

A wig from the 1700s with hair tucked into a bag at the back

is a modern general full head covering rather than a specific historical style

Idioms

9.9

To suddenly become very angry and lose control of yourself

To feel very surprised by something that happens suddenly

wig snatched
  • Slang
9.9

Feeling very surprised and impressed in a dramatic way

Compounds

1 9.0

A head covering made from horse hair that judges wear in court

wig out
  • Informal
1 9.8

A short time when someone gets very upset and loses control

7.2

A wig of tight, thick curls that makes hair look big and round

9.9

A shrub with large feathery plumes that look like puffs of smoke

How Natural

fringe
  • UK
13 3.1
wig
220 1.3
toupee
43 7.6

Surface Forms

wig singular
wigs plural

Etymology

Wig is a short form of the old word periwig, from French perruque, which meant a 'hairpiece'. So a wig is a 'hair covering' people wear to hide or change their hair.