wildcatter

[ wahyld-kat-er ]
/ ˈwaɪldˌkæt ər /

noun

an oil prospector.
a person who promotes risky or unsound business ventures.
a person who participates in a wildcat strike.

Origin of wildcatter

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; wildcat + -er1

British Dictionary definitions for wildcatter

wildcatter
/ (ˈwaɪldˌkætə) /

noun

US and Canadian informal a prospector for oil or ores in areas having no proved resources