a bigwig
Preserved but no longer current.
A magnate; in allusion to the large wigs that in the 17th and 18th centuries encumbered the head and shoulders of the aristocracy of England and France. They are still worn by the Lord Chancellor, judges, and barristers; bishops used to wear them in the House of Lords till 1880.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a bigwig” mean?
A magnate; in allusion to the large wigs that in the 17th and 18th centuries encumbered the head and shoulders of the aristocracy of England and France. They are still worn by the Lord Chancellor, judges, and barristers; bishops used to wear them in the House of Lords till 1880.
Is “a bigwig” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.