/hwig, wig/ , n.
1. Amer. Hist.
a. a member of the patriotic party during the Revolutionary period; supporter of the Revolution.
b. a member of a political party (c1834-1855) that was formed in opposition to the Democratic party, and favored economic expansion and a high protective tariff, while opposing the strength of the presidency in relation to the legislature.
2. Brit. Politics.
a. a member of a major political party (1679-1832) in Great Britain that held liberal principles and favored reforms: later called the Liberal party.
b. (in later use) one of the more conservative members of the Liberal party.
adj.
3. being a Whig.
4. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the Whigs.
[ 1635-45; earlier, a Covenanter, hence an opponent of the accession of James II; of uncert. orig., though prob. in part a shortening of whiggamaire (later whiggamore ), a participant in the Whiggamore Raid a march against the royalists in Edinburgh launched by Covenanters in 1648 (said to represent whig to spur on (cf. WHIG) + maire MARE 1 ) ]