adj
wildcat
WYLD-kat
adj
1
Describing an action, especially a strike, taken by workers without official union approval.
"The drivers staged a wildcat strike over the new schedules."
verb
1
To drill for oil or gas in an area that hasn't been proven to have any.
"The company spent millions wildcatting in the desert with no result."
How to Use Wildcat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes unauthorized, risky, or unofficial action — from labor strikes to speculative oil drilling.
Common pairings
wildcat strike
wildcat drilling
Word Forms
wildcatted past tense, wildcats singular
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The drivers staged a _____ strike over the new schedules.
Etymology
From "wild" + "cat"; the business sense traces back to risky, unregulated "wildcat banks" in 1830s Michigan, named for operating recklessly like a wild animal.