Main Entry:

wild·fire

Pronunciation:

\-ˌfī(-ə)r\

Function:

noun

Date:

12th century

1 : a sweeping and destructive conflagration especially in a wilderness or a rural area 2 : greek fire 3 : a phosphorescent glow (as ignis fatuus or fox fire) 4 : a destructive leaf-spot disease of tobacco caused by several strains of a bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae)

— like wildfire

: very rapidly <the news spread like wildfire>