German word

wild

Pronunciation

IPA/vɪlt/

Meaning

  • adjectivewild

Example

Im Wald leben viele wilde Tiere.

Many wild animals live in the forest.

Illustration for wild (wild)

More examples

Sein wildes Verhalten machte alle nervös.

His wild behavior made everyone nervous.

Core concept

An untamed force that appears in nature, behavior, or strong emotion.

Common phrases

  • wilde Tiere

    wild animals

  • wildes Verhalten

    wild behavior

Similar words

ungezähmt: Not trained or subdued, and resistant to human control.
verwildert: Neglected after being managed, becoming overgrown or returning to a wild state.
wildwachsend: Growing naturally without cultivation or regular human care.

Definition in German

Nicht vom Menschen gezähmt; auch übertragen: ungestüm, leidenschaftlich oder heftig.

Word origin

German wild continues Old High German wilt and is cognate with English wild, with the older sense of something not tamed by people.

Usage tips

  • As an attributive adjective, wild takes normal German endings, as in ein wildes Tier and eine wilde Idee.

Other meanings

  • fierceadjective
  • untamedadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • verwildertovergrownadjective
  • Wildereipoachingnoun

Word lists with this word