wildfire

noun

wild·​fire ˈwī(-ə)ld-ˌfī(-ə)r 

1

: a sweeping and destructive conflagration especially in a wilderness or a rural area

2

: greek fire

3

: a phosphorescent glow (such as ignis fatuus or fox fire)

4

: a destructive leaf-spot disease of tobacco caused by several strains of a bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae)

Phrases

like wildfire

: very rapidly

the news spread like wildfire

Examples of wildfire in a Sentence

The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.

Recent Examples on the Web

This year, both the Premiere Ceremony and main Grammy Awards telecast will raise additional funds to support Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts. —Pitchfork, 2 Feb. 2025

This year’s Grammy Awards celebrations were muted due to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. —Paul Chi, Vogue, 2 Feb. 2025

And that demand has become increasingly heightened in recent months as hurricanes and wildfires have destroyed thousands of homes across the US. —Alicia Wallace, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025

Rebuilding from the blazes Online tracker shows insurance payments to wildfire survivors. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wildfire

• spread like wildfire

Kids Definition

wildfire

noun

wild·​fire ˈwī(ə)l(d)-ˌfī(ə)r 

: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area