Dictionary

fieldwork en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈfildwɝk/ (Canada, General-American)
• /ˈfiːldwɜːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English *felde-werk (found in plural felde werkes), equivalent to field + work.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) Work done out in the fields as opposed to that done elsewhere on the farm (e.g., barn, house, outbuildings, office).
   • Besides the bookkeeping and marketing, there's a ton of fieldwork to get done this week.
   • The days now were occupied in field work and more field work; he cleared new bits of ground, getting out roots and stones; plowing, manuring, harrowing, working with pick and spade, breaking lumps of soil and crumbling them with hand and heel; a tiller of the ground always, laying out fields like velvet carpets. He waited a couple of days longer―there was a look of rain about―and then he sowed his grain. 1917, Knut Hamsun, Growth of the Soil, Book 1, Ch.3, at p.30
2. (uncountable) Work done out in the real world rather than in controlled conditions.
   • That well Bob set up last weekend was some good fieldwork.
3. (countable, in scientific research, uncountable) The collection of raw data in the field.
   • I thought the fieldwork in the course I was taking was going to be hard, but it was just interviewing people.
4. (countable, rare) A temporary fortification built by troops in the field; a defensive earthwork in the field.
   • Billy's out building some fieldwork so that our enemies don't walk right over us.

Forms

Coordinates

outwork

Relateds

field trip · in the field · field test · fieldhand

Synonyms

outwork

Translations (25)

pl praca na roli ((agriculture) work done out in the fields) · ang æcerweorc ((agriculture) work done out in the fields) · de Feldforschung (collection of raw data) · da feltarbejde (collection of raw data) · fi kenttälinnoite (temporary fortification) · fi peltotyö ((agriculture) work done out in the fields) · pl umocnienie (temporary fortification) · sv fältarbete (collection of raw data) · mi mahi tūwaenga (collection of raw data) · ru полевое исследование (collection of raw data) · fi kenttätutkimus (collection of raw data) · cmn 田野調查 /田野调查 (collection of raw data) · cmn 田野工作 (collection of raw data) · ru полевые работы (collection of raw data) · ru полевы́е рабо́ты ((agriculture) work done out in the fields) · pt trabalho de campo (collection of raw data) · nl veldwerk ((agriculture) work done out in the fields) · pl praca terenowa (collection of raw data) · pl praca badawcza (collection of raw data) · fr travaux des champs ((agriculture) work done out in the fields) · af veldwerk (collection of raw data) · nl veldwerk (collection of raw data) · fi kenttätyö (work done in the real world) · cmn 調查工作 /调查工作 (collection of raw data) · ca treball de camp (collection of raw data)