wildfire
noun/ˈwaɪldˌfaɪər/
Etymology Inherited from Middle English wilde fyr, wilde fire, wylde fyre, from Old English wilde fȳr. By surface analysis, wild + fire.
1
A rapidly spreading fire, especially one occurring in a wildland area.
2
Historical Greek fire.
3
Dermatology, Medicine, Sciences A spreading disease of the skin, particularly erysipelas.
4
Figuratively Something that acts or spreads quickly and uncontrollably.
- So, it appears a revolution has happened and a very unexpected one. Of course it was only a matter of time before it happened. With WiFi connectivity spreading faster than wildfire and a laptop or tablet in one’s bag, what’s the point of a mobile nowadays?2015 January 18, Monty Munford, “What’s the point of carrying a mobile phone nowadays?”, in The Daily Telegraph:
- “It was my own personal watch and I wanted to change the face,” she said in an interview during a recent business trip to New York. “I started wearing it, and it was wildfire — everybody wanted one.”2022 December 9, Rachel Felder, “These Timex Dials Were Designed With a Jeweler’s Eye”, in The New York Times:
- Derived terms
- spread like wildfire, wildfire-fighter
- Related terms
- conflagration