What is the meaning of wildcat?

An exploratory oil well drilled in land not known to be an oil field.
- synonyms: wildcat well
A cruelly rapacious person.
- synonyms: beast, wolf, savage, brute
Any small or medium-sized cat resembling the domestic cat and living in the wild.

Outside the bounds of legitimate or ethical business practices.
- usage: "wildcat currency issued by irresponsible banks"; "wildcat stock speculation"; "a wildcat airline"; "wildcat life insurance schemes"
Without official authorization.
- usage: "an unauthorized strike"; "wildcat work stoppage"
- synonyms: unauthorized, unauthorised
Of a mine or oil well. ( drilled speculatively in an area not known to be productive)
- usage: "drilling there would be strictly a wildcat operation"; "a wildcat mine"; "wildcat drilling"; "wildcat wells"

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APA	WordNet. (2010). wildcat. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/wildcat/definitions/1188312
Chicago	WordNet. 2010. "wildcat" http://smartdefine.org/wildcat/definitions/1188312 (accessed September 20, 2026).
Harvard	WordNet 2010, wildcat, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/wildcat/definitions/1188312>.
MLA	WordNet. "wildcat" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/wildcat/definitions/1188312>

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