'bigwig' originates from English, specifically a compound of 'big' + 'wig', where 'big' meant 'large' and 'wig' meant 'hairpiece'.

'bigwig' changed from the early 18th-century slang form 'big-wig' (a reference to those who wore large wigs as a status symbol) and eventually became the modern English word 'bigwig' used figuratively for an important person.

Initially, it referred to someone wearing a large wig (a literal sense), but over time it evolved into its current figurative meaning of 'an important or influential person'.