/ ˈræmpənt; NAmE / adjective
1.
( of sth bad ) existing or spreading everywhere in a way that cannot be controlled
SYN unchecked :
rampant inflation
Unemployment is now rampant in most of Europe.
2.
( of plants ) growing thickly and very fast in a way that cannot be controlled
► ram·pant·ly adverb
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (as a heraldic term): from Old French , literally crawling , present participle of ramper creep, crawl, of unknown origin. From the original use describing a wild animal, arose the sense fierce , whence the current notion of unrestrained .