The term "Wild West" refers to a period in American history that spanned from the late 1800s until around the turn of the century. During this time, the western part of the United States was still largely unsettled and many areas were considered lawless due to the absence of government authority. The phrase "Wild West" is often associated with images of cowboys, gunslingers, saloons, and frontier towns where violence and chaos reigned supreme. It's also a term used to describe a time when people took justice into their own hands and settled disputes through gunfights or other forms of physical confrontation.