wildfire — English Dictionary

Noun

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

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Synonyms

   forest fire

2. Greek fire.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Historical
   • Uncountable

3. A spreading disease of the skin, particularly erysipelas.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

4. Something that acts or spreads quickly and uncontrollably.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Figurative
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (2)

   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?

   “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.”

Noun

1. a raging and rapidly spreading conflagration

   Broader terms

   conflagrationinferno