If you refer to someone or something as a wild card in a particular situation, you mean that they cause uncertainty because you do not know how they will behave.
The wild card in the election was the radical party. [+ in]
2. countable noun
If a sports player is given a wild card for a particular competition, they are allowed to play in it, although they have not qualified for it in the usual way. You can also use wild card to refer to a player who enters a competition in this way.
She was competing on a wild card in the International Horse Show.
3. countable noun
A wildcard is a symbol such as * or ? which is used in some computing commands or searches in order to represent any character or range of characters.
[computing]
wild card in British English
noun
1. wild (sense 14)
2. sport
a.
a player or team that has not qualified for a competition but is allowed to take part, at the organizers' discretion, after all the regular places have been taken
b.
(as modifier)
a wild-card entry
the first wild-card entry to win the championship
Italy's claim to the wild-card place in the 2000 World Cup
I haven't got any qualifying points for the team and I think it's highly unlikelythat she will make me one of her five wild-card picks.
in the wild-card play-off round
3.
an unpredictable element in a situation
4. computing
a symbol that can represent any character or group of characters, as in a filename
wild-card in British English
or wildcard (ˈwaɪldkɑːd)
modifier
sport
of or relating to a player or team that has not qualified for a competition but isallowed to take part, at the organizers' discretion, after all the regular placeshave been taken
He was given a wild-card entry into Wimbledon.
the first wild-card entry to win the championship.
Italy's claim to the wild-card place in the 2000 World Cup
I haven't got any qualifying points for the team and I think it's highly unlikelythat she will make me one of her five wild-card picks.
in the wild-card play-off round
wild card in American English
1. Cards
a card that has been declared wild
2. US, Sport
any of the teams, other than those that finish in first and sometimes second place, that qualify for a championship playoff
3. Slang
an element that cannot be predicted or controlled
Examples of 'wild card' in a sentence
wild card
Catch up on the action from the first two wild card games.
The Sun (2017)
Remaining three players picked as captain's wild cards?
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Last year one act from the dumped wannabes was invited back on to the show as part of a wild card twist.
The Sun (2011)
Countries with no competitors are offered two wild card places, for one man and one woman.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He needed a wild card to play at Wimbledon.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He's a wild card who plays by all the conventions.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It is still playing a wild card in Syria and Iraq.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But it was mostly downhill after that and he needed a wild-card pick despite his world ranking.
The Sun (2016)
Our wild-card entry system is fairly relaxed.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She lost 5-2 in the wild-card round.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Here are the finalists and their odds - plus there will be a wild-card entry picked from acts already voted off.
The Sun (2013)
THE then 18-year-old was a wild-card entry who caused a bit of a stir.
The Sun (2009)
It proved that making wild-card picks, choosing the right assistants and figuring out the pairings for each day is only part of the job.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
wild card
British English: wild card NOUN
person If you refer to someone or something as a wild card in a particular situation, you mean that they cause uncertainty because you do not know how they will behave.
The wild card in the picture is the eastern region.
American English: wild card
Brazilian Portuguese: caractere de substituição
Chinese: 未知因素
European Spanish: comodín
French: inconnue
German: unbekannte Größe
Italian: elemento imprevedibile
Japanese: 先が予測ができないもの
Korean: 예측 불가능한 요인
European Portuguese: caráter de substituição
Latin American Spanish: comodín
British English: wild card NOUN
in computing A wildcard is a symbol such as * or ? used in some computing commands or searches in order to represent any character or range of characters.
American English: wild card
Brazilian Portuguese: caractere de substituição
Chinese: 万用字元
European Spanish: comodín
French: caractère de remplacementN
German: Wildcard
Italian: carattere jolly
Japanese: ワイルドカード
Korean: 컴퓨터 용어로 임의 문자 기호를 일컷는 말
European Portuguese: caráter de substituição
Latin American Spanish: comodín
British English: wild card NOUN
in games In card games, if a particular card is named as a wild card, the player who holds it may give it any value he chooses.
Look. I have a straight of 3, 4, 6, 7, and the wild card for the 5.