Etymology: < Middle French perrucque, perruque natural head of long hair (1465 as parrucque ), wig (1480–90; French perruque wig), of uncertain origin, perhaps < perroquet (see parakeet n.; perhaps on account of the mane-like markings on the heads of some species), or perhaps < Italian perruca , parrucca head of long hair (a1463), wig (1615); it is uncertain whether the Italian word is borrowed from the French word or vice versa (in the latter case, the further etymology is unknown). Compare (probably all < French): Spanish †perruca natural head of hair (1607 or 1616), peluca wig (1713; the form shows influence from pelo hair: see pilo- comb. form), Portuguese peruca (16th cent.), German Perücke wig (1642 as †perrucque ; also 1673 as †parucke , after Italian). Compare earlier periwig n., and perhaps also peroke n.The French word has sometimes been thought to derive < pel hair, or its Italian counterpart < pelo hair (both ultimately < classical Latin pilus hair: see pilo- comb. form), but the phonetic and morphological difficulties with such an explanation are considerable. The earlier English stress was ˈperruke , found in verse as late as quot. 1809 at sense 2a; but see also peˈruke in quot. a1687 at sense 2a.

Etymology: < peruke n. Compare earlier peruked adj.