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)

see also:

like wildfire

Examples of wildfire in a Sentence

The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.

Recent Examples on the Web

Insurance wildfire models are starting to play the role of the grading scale, and policies such as Zone Zero, the national building codes. —Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026

It's been a dry season, and water supply and wildfires are top of mind for many Coloradans. —Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026

While parts of Maui are still rebuilding after the 2023 wildfires, the state was pummeled by a pair of back-to-back storms last month, causing widespread damage across the islands, including parts of Maui, O’ahu, Molokaʻi, and the Big Island. —Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026

Hot, dry weather is a recipe for wildfires. —ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wildfire

• like wildfire
• spread like wildfire

Rhymes for wildfire

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flier
• flyer
• friar

Kids Definition

wildfire

noun

wild·​fire ˈwī(ə)l(d)-ˌfī(ə)r 

: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area