fieldwork

American

[feeld-wurk] / ˈfildˌwɜrk /

noun

Also field work work done in the field, as research, exploration, surveying, or interviewing.

archaeological fieldwork.
Fortification. a temporary fortification constructed in the field.

fieldwork British

/ ˈfiːldˌwɜːk /

noun

military a temporary structure used in defending or fortifying a place or position

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

field-worker noun
fieldworker noun

Etymology

Origin of fieldwork

First recorded in 1735–45; field + work

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In 2054 Oxford historians do fieldwork by time-traveling to the past.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

While the route is not currently scheduled to open until after 2033 due to delays, archaeologists say their fieldwork is largely complete.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

Some were uncovered during modern fieldwork in remote regions, while others came to light after researchers reexamined specimens that had been stored in Museum collections for decades.

From Science Daily • Dec. 19, 2025

To piece the fossil together, the team used high-resolution micro-CT scans of four major facial fragments recovered during fieldwork at Gona in 2000.

From Science Daily • Dec. 16, 2025

They sent students to the Deep South for civil rights projects and to the inner city for fieldwork.

From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023