wildcat

[ wahyld-kat ]

/ ˈwaɪldˌkæt /

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noun, plural wild·cats, (especially collectively) wild·cat for 1–4.

any of several North American felines of the genus Lynx.Compare lynx.

a yellowish-gray, black-striped feline, Felis sylvestris, of Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa, resembling and closely related to the domestic cat, with which it interbreeds freely.

a closely related feline, Felis sylvestris libyca, of northern Africa, believed to be the ancestor of the domestic cat.

any of several other of the smaller felines, as the serval or ocelot.

a domestic cat that has become feral.

a quick-tempered or savage person.

Railroads. a single locomotive operating without a train, as one switching cars.

an exploratory well drilled in an effort to discover deposits of oil or gas; a prospect well.

a reckless or unsound enterprise, business, etc.

Informal. wildcatter(def 2).

Nautical. a shaped drum on a windlass, engaging with the links of an anchor chain.

Informal. wildcat strike.

adjective

characterized by or proceeding from reckless or unsafe business methods: wildcat companies; wildcat stocks.

of or relating to an illicit enterprise or product.

running without control or regulation, as a locomotive, or apart from the regular schedule, as a train.

verb (used without object), wild·cat·ted, wild·cat·ting.

to search an area of unknown or doubtful productivity for oil, ore, or the like, especially as an independent prospector.

Slang. to engage in a wildcat strike.

verb (used with object), wild·cat·ted, wild·cat·ting.

to search (an area of unknown or doubtful productivity) for oil, ore, or the like.

RELATED WORDS

feline, lynx, bobcat, caracal

Nearby words

Origin of wildcat

1375–1425; late Middle English wilde cat; compare Middle Low German wildkatte

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for wildcat

The Kansas State Wildcats, meanwhile, are protected by a Thundercats-inspired Willie the Wildcat.
The Dummies’ Guide to College Football Bowl Games|Sujay Kumar|January 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The Wildcat divided his winnings and laid fifty dollars on the table.
Lady Luck|Hugh Wiley
In that instant a wildcat landed on her back and a vicious claw reached for her face.
The Revellers|Louis Tracy
The rabbi counted out two hundred dollars, but before the Wildcat threw the dice the Mud Turtle beside him spoke up.
Lady Luck|Hugh Wiley

He fought by the side of our Harold when he tamed Griffith, the wildcat of Wales.
The Rival Heirs being the Third and Last Chronicle of Aescendune|A. D. Crake
He had been hearing the cries of the wildcat for several nights.
The Bradys After a Chinese Princess|Francis Worcester Doughty

British Dictionary definitions for wildcat

wildcat

/ (ˈwaɪldˌkæt) /

noun plural -cats or -cat

a wild European cat, Felis silvestris, that resembles the domestic tabby but is larger and has a bushy tail

any of various other felines, esp of the genus Lynx, such as the lynx and the caracal

US and Canadian another name for bobcat

informal a savage or aggressive person

an exploratory drilling for petroleum or natural gas

US and Canadian an unsound commercial enterprise

US and Canadian a railway locomotive in motion without drawing any carriages or wagonsAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): light engine

(modifier) US and Canadian

of or relating to an unsound business enterprisewildcat stock
financially or commercially unsounda wildcat project

(modifier) US and Canadian (of a train) running without permission or outside the timetable

verb -cats, -catting or -catted

(intr) to drill for petroleum or natural gas in an area having no known reserves

Derived Formswildcatting, noun, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for wildcat

wildcat

early 15c., from wild (adj.) + cat (n.). Meaning "savage woman" is recorded from 1570s; sense of "one who forms rash projects" is attested from 1812. The adjective in the financial speculative sense is first recorded 1838, American English.