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

See Examples For:

fieldwork

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

Still, officials say the initial days of fieldwork on this ecologically rich and culturally sensitive island have found signs of hope.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

Researchers, who combined fieldwork with satellite data, suggested that "unusually dry conditions" and "flammable vegetation" enabled the fire to burn deep peat soils.

From BBC ● May 21, 2026

For the last 33 years my fieldwork as an evolutionary biologist has brought me into close contact with a wide range of human societies.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond