Perruque

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A hairstyle characterized by the use of artificial hair pieces
2. a wig typically styled to mimic natural hair or create a dramatic appearance
3. an item often used in theatrical performances to transform one's look or character

Etymology: "Perruque" is French, and English borrowed it twice, producing a doublet: "peruke" and "periwig" both descend from the same French word. "Peruke" keeps the closer spelling, while "periwig" shows the English form that became the more familiar of the two. The word names an artificial head of hair, the kind of wig fashionable among European men in the 17th and 18th centuries. The theatrical sense that the modern meaning describes grew out of that same object.

Synonyms: wig, toupee, hairpiece