field trip

American  

noun

1. a trip by students to gain firsthand knowledge away from the classroom, as to a museum, factory, geological area, or environment of certain plants and animals.

2. a trip by a scholar or researcher to gather data firsthand, as to a geological, archaeological, anthropological, or other site.

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field trip British  

noun

1. an expedition, as by a group of students or research workers, to study something at first hand

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Etymology

Origin of field trip

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

“If you’re asking that, then, well, yes. I am absent from a class. But it doesn’t matter. Perhaps I can get my professor to credit today as a field trip.”

From Literature

Was she thinking about the day her high school geography class had gone to Womengo on a field trip?

From Literature

In my defense, he tossed around the story of that unfortunate field trip where I wet my pants like it was confetti, so he had it coming.

From Literature

Instead, we take field trips to the planetarium and the Art Institute and the Field Museum.

From Literature

On the morning of a school field trip, Danny woke from a fitful dream.

From Literature