WILDFIRE

wildfire

(noun) a raging and rapidly spreading conflagration

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

wildfire (countable and uncountable, plural wildfires)

A rapidly spreading fire, especially one occurring in a wildland area.

(historical) Greek fire, Byzantine fire.

A spreading disease of the skin, particularly erysipelas.

(figuratively) Something that acts quickly and uncontrollably.

Synonyms

• forest fire

Source: Wiktionary


Wild"fire, n.

1. A composition of inflammable materials, which, kindled, is very hard to quench; Greek fire. Brimstone, pitch, wildfire . . . burn cruelly, and hard to quench. Bacon.

2. (Med.) (a) An old name for erysipelas. (b) A disease of sheep, attended with inflammation of the skin.

3. A sort of lightning unaccompanied by thunder. [R.]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

5 February 2025

CARE

(noun) activity involved in maintaining something in good working order; “he wrote the manual on car care”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.

coffee icon