Ricki-Lee Coulter

Nothing that I've done has been conventional. I didn't go with a major label, I didn't sign up with the bigwig management that basically has everyone but doesn't have time for anyone. I didn't win 'Idol' - I was seventh. I don't do anything how everybody else does it.

Australian Musician

Scott Rogowsky

I feel like I have been putting out a consistent body of work, just waiting for that agent, that executive, that assistant to the bigwig to stumble across it.

American Comedian

Leslie Bricusse

I was talking to a TV bigwig, and he said, 'Nobody under 35 knows who Sammy Davis is.' Well, you'll hear angry denials of that from younger people.

English Composer

Used informally to refer to an influential person, often with a hint of humor or irony.

Informal Usage

The word is often used with qualifiers specifying the context, like 'political' or 'industry', to clarify the sphere of influence.

Context Clues

'Bigwig' is metaphorical and doesn't refer to the person's physical size, but to their status or influence.

Not Literally Big

 happened to get another accident and I am here to help her with anything she happens to need I know you're probably tired you're probably hungry but um I've got bigwig people coming in in the next few days so I've got to get that water line okay get it rolling and I don't want to

Running Water - Thaw...

 the power of genetic analysis has been confined to the ivory tower, or bigwig PhD scientist work. Well, several companies around the world are working on making this same technology accessible to everyday people like the pig farmer, like you.