fieldwork

American  

[feeld-wurk] / ˈfildˌwɜrk /

noun

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

   archaeological fieldwork.

2. Fortification. a temporary fortification constructed in the field.

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fieldwork British  

/ ˈfiːldˌwɜːk /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• field-worker
  noun
• fieldworker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of fieldwork

First recorded in 1735–45; field + work

Example Sentences

From a science standpoint, "the content of the documents is absolutely incredible", said Francois Kervyn, the museum geologist leading the project, describing decades of painstaking fieldwork carried out in largely unmapped regions.

From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026

Zora Neale Hurston was a student of the anthropologist Franz Boas, and her fieldwork in rural Florida informs this novel of passionate love and tempestuous weather.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

Specimens gathered by explorers generations ago continue to provide valuable scientific insights today, especially in remote regions where fieldwork remains difficult.

From Science Daily • May 26, 2026

The fieldwork also took the team to Joshua Tree National Park, which some research suggests will eventually become largely devoid of its namesake plant.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Her mother, an anthropologist, is doing fieldwork on midwives in Thailand.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri