Idiom meaning, usage examples, facts

1. Fred likes to think he’s a bigwig but he really doesn’t have much power outside his own department.
2. Did you see all the expensive cars in the parking lot outside? There must be a meeting of company bigwigs today.

Synonyms: big wheel; big shot; big cheese; head honcho. Compare to: heavyweight. The expression bigwig is usually applied to a person high up in a corporate structure.