Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wig” come from?

Wig is a shortening of periwig, from French perruque, from Italian perrucca, of uncertain origin.

wig (English): A head of real or synthetic hair worn on the head...

Definitions

  1. A head of real or synthetic hair worn on the head...

Ancestry of “wig”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishperiwigA wig, especially any kind of stylised wig as...
2Frenchperruquewig; wig, periwig, peruke
3ItalianperruccaAlternative form of parrucca
4Italianparruccawig

Words derived from “wig”

  • wigging
  • bigwig
  • wigmaker
  • wigger
  • wigless
  • wiggery
  • tiewig
  • wiglet
  • wiglike
  • wigman
  • bewig
  • smallwig
  • unwig
  • demiwig
Every word from Italian parrucca →