Dictionary

bigwig en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈbɪɡ.wɪɡ/
• bĭgʹwĭg
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

First arose in the 1730s, from big + wig. Formerly, English men of authority (such as judges and Members of Parliament) wore wigs. Bigwig plays on the idea that higher authority is denoted by a larger wig.

Meanings

1. (informal) A person of importance in a group or organization.
   • […] more innocently, and no doubt profitably, than if he had dined at a big-wig's board or bemused himself with smoke and beer among his brethren of the pen. 1891, Grace L. Keith Johnston, The Halletts: A Country Town Chronicle, volume 3, page 34:
   • Before her hay-day, she attended many derbys under her dad's celebrity where she'd hobnob with the bigwigs in Millionaire's Row. 2016 May 5, “Reality star Bethenny Frankel talks hats, hangovers and her Kentucky Derby party at Empire City Casino”, in New York Daily News:
   • The company bigwig is gathering his staff together for a meeting today.

Forms

Deriveds

bigwigism · bigwiggery

Synonyms

head honcho · numero uno · kingpin · big gun · top cat · big kahuna · king of the castle · top banana · king of all one surveys · very important person · big wheel · rooster · muckety muck · VIP · big enchilada · top boy · high muckamuck · top dog · king of the hill · macher · poobah · bigwig · heavy hitter · muckamuck · boss · heavyweight · high muckety-muck · top gun · VIP · panjandrum · grand poobah · baron · mugwump · big shot · big noise · wheel · big man · mayor · somebody · big cheese · big name · big cheese

Translations (43)

ga boc mór (A person of importance) · nl kopstuk (A person of importance) · it barbassoro (A person of importance) · eo grandulo (A person of importance) · et suur nina (A person of importance) · it pataffione (A person of importance) · de Persönlichkeit (A person of importance) · ja 大物 (A person of importance) · cy pwysigyn (A person of importance) · ru важная пти́ца (A person of importance) · pl gruba ryba (A person of importance) · fi pamppu (A person of importance) · es jefazo (A person of importance) · fr grosse pointure (A person of importance) · et tähtis tegelane (A person of importance) · fi kiho (A person of importance) · it pallone gonfiato (A person of importance) · es pez gordo (A person of importance) · he איש חשוב מאוד (A person of importance) · id kakap (A person of importance) · pl figura (A person of importance) · de Großkopferter (A person of importance) · fr huile (A person of importance) · fi silmäätekevä (A person of importance) · it capo (A person of importance) · mk чауш (A person of importance) · es mandamás (A person of importance) · nl dikkop (A person of importance) · nl hoge ome (A person of importance) · de hohes Tier (A person of importance) · fr grosse légume (A person of importance) · cs papaláš (A person of importance) · es barón (A person of importance) · pl szycha (A person of importance) · sv höjdare (A person of importance) · cs velké zvíře (A person of importance) · fi napamies (A person of importance) · fr gros bonnet (A person of importance) · pl VIP (A person of importance) · ru большая ши́шка (A person of importance) · fr bonze (A person of importance) · de Bonze (A person of importance) · nl bobo (A person of importance)