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.

Advances in software, imaging tools, cameras, and drones have transformed how paleontologists document and visualize discoveries in both fieldwork and laboratory settings.

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

The fossil was found on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, a location known for difficult and sometimes dangerous fieldwork.

From Science Daily • Feb. 11, 2026

"Getting all the fieldwork done traditionally has been very hard to do because you have to get energy to remote regions," he told the BBC.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

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