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

That cross-country chain of analysis — fieldwork in England, extraction in Scotland, sequencing in Wales — reflects the collaborative nature of the biodiversity networks behind this find. —Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2026

The team sequenced the DNA of 38 different mosquitoes belonging to 11 species within the Leucosphyrus group, which had been arduously collected during fieldwork between 1992 and 2020 across Southeast Asia. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026

Those questions carry implications for how funding, fieldwork, and institutional support are distributed across the scientific community. —Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026

The discovery was made during fieldwork conducted in 2022 and 2023. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 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