wig

wig — noun

1. a covering for the head made from artificial hair or real human hair, worn by pe

1.nounA2
Definition

a covering for the head made from artificial hair or real human hair, worn by people who have lost their own hair, by actors changing their appearance, or as part of a formal uniform such as a judge's robe

Example

Emily wore a long black wig to the costume party, completing her witch outfit.

collocation: wear + [adj] wig

After losing her hair, Linh chose a short wig that matched her natural colour.

purpose: to hide hair loss

Common collocations
  • wear a wig
  • put on a wig
  • take off a wig
  • curly wig
  • blonde wig
  • synthetic wig
  • costume wig
  • wig stand
Synonyms
  • hairpiece

    more general term; can refer to partial or full hair coverings

  • toupee

    covers only a small area of the scalp, typically for bald spots

  • extension

    adds length or volume to existing hair; does not cover the whole head

Grammar Patterns

a [adj] wig

wear + wig

put on / take off + wig

Usage Note

A toupee covers only part of the head, while a wig covers the whole head. Wigs are also called 'hairpieces' or 'hair systems' in the beauty industry.

Common Mistakes

He bought a toupee that covers his whole head.
He bought a wig that covers his whole head.
A toupee covers only a small bald spot; a wig covers the entire scalp.
She put a wig on her head.
She put on a wig.
The phrasal verb 'put on' is more natural than 'put a wig on her head.'

2. an angry talk in which someone tells you that you have done something wrong, use

2.nounC1
Definition

an angry talk in which someone tells you that you have done something wrong, used especially in older British speech

Example

Mert got a real wigging from his boss for forgetting the important meeting.

phrase: get a wigging from [someone]

Iris knew she would receive a wigging when her dad saw the broken fence.

phrase: receive a wigging

Common collocations
  • give someone a wigging
  • get a wigging
  • receive a wigging
  • a real wigging
Synonyms
  • scolding

    standard English, not slang; more widely understood

  • telling-off

    equally informal British expression

  • rebuke

    more formal and serious

Grammar Patterns

get + a wigging

give + [someone] + a wigging

receive + a wigging

Usage Note

British slang, less common today than in the mid-20th century. Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'give someone a wigging' or 'get a wigging'. Distinguish from noun sense 1 (HAIR COVERING), which is unrelated in origin.

Common Mistakes

My teacher gave me a wig.' (meaning a scolding)
My teacher gave me a wigging.
The scolding sense uses 'wigging', not 'wig.'

wig — verb

Word family

  • wigging
    nounC1
  • wigged
    adjectiveB2
  • periwig
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to artificial hair products, but they differ in coverage and purpose. A 'wig' covers the entire head and is the most common term — used for fashion, costume, or medical hair loss. A 'hairpiece' is a broader term that includes any artificial hair accessory, from a small clip-in section to a full wig. A 'toupee' is specifically a small piece worn by men to cover a bald patch on top of the head. 'Extensions' add length or volume to existing hair and do not cover the scalp at all. For example: 'Lin wore a wig after chemotherapy', 'His toupee shifted when he ran', and 'She clipped in extensions for the wedding.'

wig ↗hairpiece ↗toupeeextension ↗

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'wig' comes from 'periwig', which was the full name for the powdered, curled wigs worn by fashionable men and women in the 1600s and 1700s. 'Periwig' itself comes from the French word 'perruque', meaning a head-covering of false hair. Over time, English speakers shortened 'periwig' to simply 'wig'. The British slang meaning of scolding or reprimand (noun sense 2 and verb sense 1) is a separate, later development that may have come from an older dialect word unrelated to the hairpiece.