wildcat
noun
wild·cat
| \ ˈwī(-ə)l(d)-ˌkat
\
\
plural wildcats
Definition of wildcat
(Entry 1 of 3)
1a
: an Old World cat (Felis silvestris) that resembles but is heavier in build than the domestic tabby cat and is usually held to be among the ancestors of the domestic cat
b
or plural wildcat
: any of various small or medium-sized cats (such as the lynx or ocelot)
c
: a feral domestic cat
2
: a savage quick-tempered person
3a
: wildcat money
b
: a wildcat oil or gas well
c
: a wildcat strike
wildcat
adjectiveDefinition of wildcat (Entry 2 of 3)
1a(1)
: issued by a financially irresponsible banking establishment
wildcat currency
(2)
: financially irresponsible or unreliable
wildcat banks
b
: operating, produced, or carried on outside the bounds of standard or legitimate business practices
wildcat insurance schemes— H. H. Reichard
c
: of, relating to, or being an oil or gas well drilled in territory not known to be productive
d
: initiated by a group of workers without formal union approval or in violation of a contract
a wildcat strike wildcat work stoppages
2a
of a cartridge
: having a bullet of standard caliber but using an expanded case or a case designed for a bullet of greater caliber necked down for the smaller bullet
b
of a firearm
: using wildcat cartridges
wildcat
verb
wildcatted;
wildcatting
Definition of wildcat (Entry 3 of 3)
: to prospect and drill an experimental oil or gas well or sink a mine shaft in territory not known to be productive
Examples of wildcat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Evan Aguon scored two touchdowns for the Bucs, taking snaps in the wildcat and breaking off TD runs. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Week 1: Prep football notable stories, performances," 24 Aug. 2019 Clear Creek High School, which opened in 1957, chose the scrappy wildcat, known for its ability to endure in adverse circumstances. — Jennie Bolton, Houston Chronicle, "Football quiz: Can you name all the mascots for Clear Creek ISD teams?," 23 Aug. 2019 This 2014 video was posted by the Felidae Conservation Fund, a global nonprofit that works to save wildcat habitats. — Patrick May, The Mercury News, "Not your neighborhood dog: Coyote sighting near San Bruno school the latest Bay Area wildlife appearance," 15 Aug. 2019 The Lions had a shorter practice that lasted about 90 minutes and ran through several situational scenarios, including having the defense practice against the wildcat and some gadget plays. — Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Lions' Matthew Stafford looks sharp, throws TDs in return to practice," 13 Aug. 2019 Domestic cats also display relatively modest genetic divergence from their ancestors, meaning their brains are probably still wired to think like a wildcat’s. — Lauren Robin Finka, Quartz, "How to stroke a cat, according to science," 23 July 2019 Lawrence North will also have its new wildcat logo at the 50-yard-line. — Kyle Neddenriep, Indianapolis Star, "New logos for Lawrence Central, Lawrence North coming this year," 16 July 2019 Experts say that the animal is different from the European wildcat, which is found across much of Europe, and there is speculation that the species may have originated in the Middle East. — Fox News, "Mysterious 'cat-fox' discovered, may be a new species," 20 June 2019 Of the three wildcats native to Wisconsin, the bobcat is the smallest. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: When it comes to wildcats in Wisconsin, bobcats are king," 5 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Williams, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound senior, scored three touchdowns and added a sack on defense in last week’s season-opening victory over Homewood while playing running back, wildcat quarterback, defensive end and defensive back. — Josh Bean | [email protected], al, "How to watch Alabama RB commit Roydell Williams on TV Thursday," 28 Aug. 2019 Williams had seven rushing attempts out of the wildcat formation in 2017 and one reception last year. — Mike Anthony, courant.com, "Mike Anthony: UConn senior Donovan Williams’ strange four-year journey from Bob Diaco’s quarterback to Randy Edsall’s receiver and tight end is worth appreciating," 9 Aug. 2019 The entire time, the real star of the state's wildcat family, the bobcat, able to live quietly and compatibly with humans, was in our midst. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: When it comes to wildcats in Wisconsin, bobcats are king," 5 June 2019 As for other formations, UW experimented more with the option Friday and also incorporated a wildcat look, most notably with running back Richard Newton faking a hand off to McClatcher on an end-around and bursting up the middle for a big gain. — Mike Vorel, The Seattle Times, "Observations from the UW Huskies’ sixth practice of spring football," 12 Apr. 2019 His high school seems to have him under center a decent amount as the star of a wildcat formation. — Alex Schiffer, kansascity, "This week in Mizzou recruiting: Francis Okoro cuts list, pipeline to Michigan and more | The Kansas City Star," 11 May 2018 The union moves fast to set a date as members threaten a wildcat action. — Josh Eidelson, Bloomberg.com, "Oklahoma Teachers Follow West Virginia With April Strike Threat," 9 Mar. 2018 Two of the players involved in the investigation still play for the Gophers: starting safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. and wildcat quarterback and receiver Seth Green, both of whom were cleared by the U. — Josh Verges, Twin Cities, "Judge dismisses Gophers football players’ lawsuit over 2016 sexual assault case," 25 June 2019 The entire time, the real star of the state's wildcat family, the bobcat, able to live quietly and compatibly with humans, was in our midst. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: When it comes to wildcats in Wisconsin, bobcats are king," 5 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wildcat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for wildcat
wildcat
noun
English Language Learners Definition of wildcat
: a kind of cat that lives in the wilderness
See the full definition for wildcat in the English Language Learners Dictionary
wildcat
noun
wild·cat
| \ ˈwīld-ˌkat
\
\
Kids Definition of wildcat
: a wild animal (as an ocelot or lynx) of the cat family that is of small or medium size
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