big + wig This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term. English people used to wear wigs which denote their position in the government. The size of the wig varies with the position and the one with higher position will have a bigger wig.
bigwig (plural bigwigs)
- (jocose) A person of importance to a group or organization
- The company bigwig is gathering his staff together for a meeting today.
- big cheese, big enchilada, big kahuna, big wheel, grand poobah, head honcho, kingpin, muckety muck, top banana, top dog