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

Mason consulted Chumash and Tongva artists and conducted fieldwork in the Channel Islands, Santa Barbara, and museums across L.A. and Ojai while writing and researching the play. —Amanda L. Andrei, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025

To gauge just how important vultures are in ecosystems, researchers went to Costa Rica and conducted fieldwork using domestic pig carcasses. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2025

By the film’s end, however, Harris’ version of the character retires from fieldwork to take up her traditional post as secretary to the new M (Ralph Fiennes). —John Russell, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025

Teachers use them for outdoor projects, such as biology fieldwork, allowing students to share photos and notes over a local network. —IEEE Spectrum, 19 Apr. 2025

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