wildfire
/ˈwaɪldˌfaɪər/ noun
Forms wildfires
- noun A rapidly spreading fire, especially one occurring in a wildland area.
- noun (historical) Greek fire.
- noun (dermatology) A spreading disease of the skin, particularly erysipelas.
- noun (figuratively) Something that acts or spreads quickly and uncontrollably.
Synonyms
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English wilde fyr, wilde fire, wylde fyre, from Old English wilde fȳr. By surface analysis, wild + fire.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A composition of inflammable materials, which, kindled, is very hard to quench; Greek fire.
- noun (a) An old name for erysipelas.
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “wildfire”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details