What does bewigged mean?
"Bewigged" is an adjective describing someone who is wearing a wig. It most often appears in connection with professions or settings where wigs are part of traditional or ceremonial dress — most famously the white wigs worn by judges and barristers in British courts — but it also describes actors, reenactors, or anyone sporting a wig for fashion, costume, or disguise. The word is formed from the noun "wig" with the prefix "be-" (in the sense of "to provide with" or "to cover with") plus the past-participle ending "-ed," giving it a slightly formal, literary flavor. It frequently carries a faintly humorous or picturesque connotation, evoking powdered periwigs of the eighteenth century or the pomp of the courtroom. Writers use it to add color and specificity: "a bewigged magistrate," "the bewigged figure in the portrait." Though not common in everyday speech, it remains current in journalism and descriptive prose wherever wigs are noteworthy.
adjectiveWearing a wig, especially one that is conspicuous or characteristic of a particular profession or period.
- Wearing a wig, typically as part of formal, professional, or ceremonial dress (as with British judges and barristers), or for costume or fashion.
"The bewigged barrister rose to address the jury with theatrical gravity."
"A bewigged figure in an eighteenth-century coat gazed down from the portrait above the mantel."
"The bewigged counsel objected loudly before the Speaker could call order."
In the UK, judges still wear wigs in court today — so 'the bewigged judge' isn't a historical phrase, it's Tuesday.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bewigged
"Bewigged" derives from the noun "wig," itself a shortening (attested from the late seventeenth century) of "periwig," which entered English in the early sixteenth century from the French "perruque." The prefix "be-" was added to form a past participle meaning "furnished or covered with a wig." The word belongs to the same family as "periwig" and the French "perruque," all tracing back ultimately through French to a word for a head of hair or a wig.
Usage notes
Mostly descriptive or slightly literary; often carries an evocative, faintly humorous connotation of old-fashioned formality, particularly regarding British legal or judicial dress. Commonly used attributively before a noun (a bewigged judge).
Don't confuse with
Bigoted means obstinately attached to one's own opinions, while bewigged simply describes someone wearing a wig.