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• track and field
  track and field

  noun

  a sport performed indoors or outdoors and made up of several events, as running, pole-vaulting, shot-putting, and broad-jumping.
• track-and-field
  track-and-field

  adjective

  of, relating to, or participating in the sports of running, pole-vaulting, broad-jumping, etc..

track and field

¹ American  

noun

1. a sport performed indoors or outdoors and made up of several events, as running, pole-vaulting, shot-putting, and broad-jumping.

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track-and-field ² American  

[trak-uhn-feeld] / ˈtræk ənˈfild /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or participating in the sports of running, pole-vaulting, broad-jumping, etc..

   a track-and-field athlete.

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Usage

What does track and field mean? Track and field is the name for the group of sports that involve running on a track (short- and long-distance running races, from 100 to 10,000 meters), jumping (high jump, long jump, triple jump), throwing (shot put, javelin, discus, hammer throw), or some combination (hurdles, steeplechase, pole vault). In track and field, the running events are performed on a track, the throwing events are performed on a field, and the jumping events are performed on a specialized setup (such as a track and a sand pit, as in the long jump and the triple jump). When it is used as an adjective, the term is often hyphenated, as in track-and-field events. Many track-and-field athletes compete in more than one track-and-field event. A sprinter may compete in 100- and 200-meter races, as well as a relay race, for example. A long-distance runner may compete in multiple long-distance races (such as the 1,500- and 5,000-meter races). Some track-and-field athletes compete in events that combine multiple running, jumping, and throwing events, such as the decathlon (10 events). The track-and-field events at the summer Olympic Games (the Summer Games) are often considered the pinnacle of competition in the sport. Not all sports that take place (or partially take place) on a track or field (such as archery or cycling) are considered part of track and field. Cross-country running is often considered distinct from track and field because it involves racing on open terrain (as opposed to a track). In the UK and other places, track-and-field events are sometimes known collectively as athletics. Example: I played football when I was younger, but in college I started competing in track and field.

Etymology

Origin of track-and-field

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

“I feel like LA28 gives the country something to organize around,” said Siegel, who hopes track and field can rise to be among the five most popular sports in the United States.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026

Almost everyone who matters in American track and field will be there, Boldon said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026

After school came high school sports from 3:15 to 5:30 p.m., either cross-country, soccer or track and field, depending on the season.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Braelyn Combe had an afternoon she will never forget Saturday at the Southern Section track and field finals at Moorpark High.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

But in the spring there aren’t any contact sports, just baseball and track and field.

From "Crash" by Jerry Spinelli