noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈfiːldwɜːk/
Canada, General-American:/ˈfildwɝk/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:F IY1 L D W ER2 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Work done out in the fields as opposed to that done elsewhere on the farm (e.g., barn, house, outbuildings, office).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: agriculture, business, lifestyle
Examples
Besides the bookkeeping and marketing, there's a ton of fieldwork to get done this week.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: outwork
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Work done out in the real world rather than in controlled conditions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Examples
That well Bob set up last weekend was some good fieldwork.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The collection of raw data in the field.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
I thought the fieldwork in the course I was taking was going to be hard, but it was just interviewing people.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A temporary fortification built by troops in the field; a defensive earthwork in the field.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, rare
Examples
Billy's out building some fieldwork so that our enemies don't walk right over us.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a temporary fortification built by troops in the field
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: fortification, munition
History
Etymology
From Middle English *felde-werk (found in plural felde werkes), equivalent to field + work.
Across languages
Translations
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Dutch:
veldwerk
— (agriculture) work done out in the fields
Finnish:
peltotyö
— (agriculture) work done out in the fields
French:
travaux des champs
— (agriculture) work done out in the fields
Old English:
æcerweorc
— (agriculture) work done out in the fields
Polish:
praca na roli
— (agriculture) work done out in the fields
Russian:
полевы́е рабо́ты
(polevýje rabóty)
— (agriculture) work done out in the fields
Finnish:
kenttätyö
— work done in the real world
Afrikaans:
veldwerk
— collection of raw data
Catalan:
treball de camp
— collection of raw data
Chinese Mandarin:
調查工作 /调查工作
(diàochá gōngzuò)
— collection of raw data
Chinese Mandarin:
田野工作
(tiányě gōngzuò)
— collection of raw data
Chinese Mandarin:
田野調查 /田野调查
(tiányě diàochá)
— collection of raw data
Danish:
feltarbejde
— collection of raw data
Dutch:
veldwerk
— collection of raw data
Finnish:
kenttätutkimus
— collection of raw data
German:
Feldforschung
— collection of raw data
Māori:
mahi tūwaenga
— collection of raw data
Polish:
praca badawcza
— collection of raw data
Polish:
praca terenowa
— collection of raw data
Portuguese:
trabalho de campo
— collection of raw data
Russian:
полевые работы
(polevyje raboty)
— collection of raw data
Russian:
полевое исследование
(polevoje issledovanije)
— collection of raw data
