Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

bigwig

/ˈbɪɡ.wɪɡ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.05 in modern English

Syllables: big-wig
IPA: /ˈbɪɡ.wɪɡ/

13

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A person of importance in a group or organization.

Informal

Example Sentences

"The company bigwig is gathering his staff together for a meeting today."
"[…] 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."
"Before her hay-day, she attended many derbys under her dad's celebrity where she'd hobnob with the bigwigs in Millionaire's Row."

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.

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

bigwigs (plural) big wig (alternative) big-wig (alternative)

Derived Forms

bigwiggery bigwigism

Synonyms

big cheese VIP baron big enchilada big gun big kahuna big man big name big noise big shot bigwig big wheel

Rhymes With

big dig pig fig gig rig wig brig sig jig zig twig

Questions

How do you pronounce bigwig?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈbɪɡ.wɪɡ/.
What does bigwig mean?: A person of importance in a group or organization.
Where does bigwig come from?: 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.

How to pronounce bigwig

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “bigwig”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈbɪɡ.wɪɡ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “bigwig”.
Repeat and practice — Say “bigwig” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.