Wild West
Preserved but no longer current.
The western frontier of the U.S.A. before a stable government was in being. The phrase really refers to the days of the mid- 19th century before the whole continent was known and developed, and the ever-shifting frontiers of civilization in the west were the resort of desperadoes, cattle-thieves, etc. The term is often applied to stories of adventure dealing with that period and those localities.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Wild West” mean?
The western frontier of the U.S.A. before a stable government was in being. The phrase really refers to the days of the mid- 19th century before the whole continent was known and developed, and the ever-shifting frontiers of civilization in the west were the resort of desperadoes, cattle-thieves, etc. The term is often applied to stories of adventure dealing with that period and those localities.
Is “Wild West” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.