Other forms: bigwigs
A bigwig is an important, powerful person, said with a smirk. Somebody who matters, described by somebody unimpressed.
The word comes from the enormous wigs worn by judges, bishops and gentlemen in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, where the size of the wig genuinely signalled rank. It survives as gentle mockery, so the bigwigs from head office is what staff call visiting executives. Big shot and big cheese do the same job. The word is one word and always slightly dismissive.
1nounbigwigAn important or influential person.
“All the bigwigs were down from London for the day.”
Also accepted in games: big shot
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.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA