fieldwork

noun

field·​work ˈfēld-ˌwərk 

1

: a temporary fortification thrown up by an army in the field

2

: work done in the field (as by students) to gain practical experience and knowledge through firsthand observation

3

: the gathering of anthropological or sociological data through the interviewing and observation of subjects in the field

field-worker

ˈfēld-ˌwər-kər 

noun

Examples of fieldwork in a Sentence

an anthropologist who has done fieldwork in the South Pacific

Recent Examples on the Web

Schroeder said their Odyssey fieldwork is still ongoing, and more is slated for June 2025. —Rhiannon Saegert, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2025

Every morning in Miami, our fieldwork begins the same way. —James T. Stroud, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2025

Students study the physical remains of industrial and technological activities, often conducting fieldwork at former mining sites and industrial complexes across Michigan's Upper Peninsula. —Scott White, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025

Fishing for New Discoveries The research team conducted fieldwork at Morode Beach, Ainan, South Japan, to study the anemonefish Amphiprion clarkii and its host, the sea anemone Entacmaea quadricolor. —Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fieldwork

• artwork
• beadwork
• berserk
• breastwork
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork