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

As planetary geologists, my colleagues and I are excited by this next phase of lunar exploration as humans get closer to the prospect of in-person fieldwork on the Moon again. —Margaret Landis, The Conversation, 18 June 2026

In parallel with the team’s fieldwork, archaeologists are studying contemporaneous Chinese descriptions of the the region, Menshikov added. —Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 8 June 2026

The Siena Research Institute at Siena University and Reconnaissance Market Research (ReconMR) fielded the poll, with additional fieldwork by the Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida. —New York Times, 21 May 2026

Tuesday’s rat-trapping marks the start of fieldwork within Argentina's wider investigation into the origin of the contagion that struck the MV Hondius, killing three people, sickening several others and setting off a global scramble to trace passengers and their close contacts. —ABC News, 19 May 2026

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