wild man
C1/C2Informal, historical, literary; can be pejorative or descriptive depending on context.
Definition
Meaning
A man who lives or behaves in a savage, uncivilized, or unrestrained way, often by choice, living apart from society.
1. A person known for extreme, radical, or unconventional ideas or behavior, especially in art, politics, or thought. 2. A term for a folkloric or mythological being, often representing a primal, untamed human living in the wilderness.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Historically, the term was used to describe actual individuals or groups living outside settled society; now it's more often metaphorical, referring to non-conformist, disruptive, or visionary figures.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The phrase is used in both varieties with little semantic difference.
Connotations
In political/journalistic contexts, it often denotes a provocateur or radical. In American cultural history, it can reference frontier mythology.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in AmE in contexts related to politics or counter-culture.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Adj] wild man [Prep of N] (the wild man of comedy)[V] play the wild man[Det] a/the wild manVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “run wild”
- “sow one's wild oats”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might describe a disruptive innovator or a notoriously unpredictable executive.
Academic
Used in historical, anthropological, or cultural studies discussing mythology, frontier history, or radical thought.
Everyday
Used humorously or critically to describe someone with untamed behavior or appearance.
Technical
In folklore studies, refers to a specific mythical archetype.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- He has a wild-man energy about him.
- The play was a wild-man romp through history.
American English
- She's known for her wild-man driving style.
- It was a wild-man celebration after the win.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The story was about a wild man who lived in a cave.
- My uncle was a bit of a wild man when he was younger, always traveling to dangerous places.
- The new MP is seen as the party's wild man, constantly challenging the leadership's policies.
- The artist cemented his reputation as the wild man of British sculpture with his controversial public installations.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a man with a beard made of leaves, WILDly running through the woods – a WILD MAN.
Conceptual Metaphor
CIVILIZATION IS ORDER, THE WILD IS CHAOS; THE WILD MAN IS A PERSONIFICATION OF UNRULY NATURE WITHIN OR OUTSIDE SOCIETY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation as 'дикий человек' for the metaphorical sense; use 'неукротимый человек', 'бунтарь', or 'оригинал' depending on context. The folkloric sense can be 'леший' or 'лесной человек'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'wild man' to mean simply 'a man who is angry' (use 'madman'). Overusing for mild eccentricity.
Practice
Quiz
In a modern political context, calling someone a 'wild man' primarily suggests they are:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be, if used to denigrate someone's lifestyle or mental state. In historical or folkloric contexts, it is descriptive.
Not typically. The gendered term is specific. The equivalent for a woman might be 'wild woman' or phrases like 'free spirit'.
A 'madman' implies insanity or irrationality. A 'wild man' implies a rejection of social norms and a primal, untamed nature, not necessarily mental illness.
The two-word form 'wild man' is more standard, though the closed compound 'wildman' is sometimes seen, especially in informal or journalistic use.