1. people who drill for oil or gas in areas not known to be productive
Usage: oil industry
2. people who engage in risky or speculative business ventures
Usage: informal

Examples

• The wildcatters spent months searching for oil in the remote desert.
• Many wildcatters lost their fortunes drilling dry wells.
• These wildcatters are betting everything on finding a major oil deposit.
• The company hired experienced wildcatters to explore the new territory.
• Some wildcatters became millionaires overnight when they struck oil.
• The wildcatters’ risky investment paid off with a huge discovery.