1838, from South African Dutch (in modern Afrikaans wildebees, plural wildebeeste), literally "wild beast," from Dutch wild "wild" (see wild (adj.)) + beest "beast, ox" (in South African Dutch "steer, cattle"), from Middle Dutch beeste, from Old French beste "beast" (see beast).
wild
wild card
wild goose chase
wild man
wildcat
wildebeest
wilderness
wildfire
wildlife
wildly
wildness