wildfire
Americannoun
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any large fire in brush, forests, or open spaces that spreads rapidly and is hard to extinguish.
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a highly flammable composition, such as Greek fire, difficult to extinguish when ignited, formerly used in warfare.
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sheet lightning, unaccompanied by thunder.
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the ignis fatuus or a similar light.
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Plant Pathology. a disease of tobacco and soybeans, characterized by brown, necrotic spots, each surrounded by a yellow band, on the leaves and caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas tabaci.
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Pathology Obsolete. erysipelas or some similar disease.
noun
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a highly flammable material, such as Greek fire, formerly used in warfare
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a raging and uncontrollable fire
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anything that is disseminated quickly (esp in the phrase spread like wildfire )
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lightning without audible thunder
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another name for will-o'-the-wisp
Etymology
Origin of wildfire
First recorded before 1000; Middle English wildefire, Old English wildfȳr; equivalent to wild + fire
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the meantime, populations are at risk of being wiped out by inbreeding, fierce wildfires or a number of other factors.
From Los Angeles Times
More than a year after deadly wildfires swept through Los Angeles communities, California launched an investigation Thursday into claims of delays in issuing warnings to historically Black neighborhoods which could have increased the death toll.
From Barron's
Victims of last year’s wildfires in Los Angeles County who were unable to get mortgage relief under a state law enacted last year would get another chance with a stronger bill introduced Wednesday.
From Los Angeles Times
Credits can be earned for things such as completing rehabilitative or educational programs, abiding by the rules or completing wildfire firefighting work.
From Los Angeles Times
Recent wildfires in the state are expected to push up home-insurance premiums.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
