Dictionary

minefield en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈmaɪnˌfild/ (General-American)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From mine + field. Compare Saterland Frisian Mienenfäield (“minefield”), West Frisian mynfjild (“minefield”), Dutch mijnenveld (“minefield”), German Low German Minenfeld (“minefield”), German Minenfeld (“minefield”), Danish minefelt (“minefield”), Swedish minfält (“minefield”).

Meanings

1. An area in which land mines or naval mines have been laid.
2. (broadly, figuratively) A matter or situation presenting multiple risks, dangers, complications or difficulties.
   • Be careful. Foreign property investments are a minefield, and some people have lost a lot of money.
   • Russian grammar can be a minefield.
   • Political minefield awaits Prayut government including threat from an old foe 2022 June 1, Ken Lohatepanont, “Political minefield awaits Prayut government”, in Thai Enquirer, Bangkok: Thai News Corp, retrieved 01 Jun 2022:
3. A pitch that has dried out and crumbled and on which the ball is bouncing and spinning unpredictably.
4. A quiz that terminates when the test-taker answers a question incorrectly.

Forms

Deriveds

tiptoe through a minefield

Synonyms

minefield quiz

Translations (53)

tr mayın tarlası (area in which mines have been hidden) · nb minefelt (area in which mines have been hidden) · cmn 雷區 /雷区 (area in which mines have been hidden) · ar حَقْلُ أَلْغَام (area in which mines have been hidden) · nl mijnenveld (area in which mines have been hidden) · fr terrain miné (dangerous situation) · nn minefelt (area in which mines have been hidden) · pt campo minado (dangerous situation) · ru ми́нное по́ле (area in which mines have been hidden) · cs minové pole (dangerous situation) · mn минажуулсан газар (area in which mines have been hidden) · mk минско поле (area in which mines have been hidden) · fr terrain glissant (dangerous situation) · sk mínové pole (area in which mines have been hidden) · km តំបន់បង្កប់មីន (area in which mines have been hidden) · cmn 險境 /险境 (dangerous situation) · sv minerad mark (area in which mines have been hidden) · sv minfält (area in which mines have been hidden) · es polvorín (dangerous situation) · cs minové pole (area in which mines have been hidden) · es campo minado (area in which mines have been hidden) · es campo de minas (area in which mines have been hidden) · be мі́ннае по́ле (area in which mines have been hidden) · es campo de minas (dangerous situation) · sv minfält (dangerous situation) · pl pole minowe (area in which mines have been hidden) · it campo minato (area in which mines have been hidden) · fi miinoite (area in which mines have been hidden) · hy ականապատ դաշտ (area in which mines have been hidden) · pt campo minado (area in which mines have been hidden) · bg ми́нно поле́ (area in which mines have been hidden) · az mina sahəsi (area in which mines have been hidden) · ko 지뢰원 (area in which mines have been hidden) · hu ingoványos terület (dangerous situation) · el ναρκοπέδιο (dangerous situation) · hu veszélyes terep (dangerous situation) · ro câmp minat (area in which mines have been hidden) · de Minenfeld (dangerous situation) · et miiniväli (area in which mines have been hidden) · fi miinakenttä (dangerous situation) · ko 지뢰밭 (area in which mines have been hidden) · fi miinakenttä (area in which mines have been hidden) · hu aknamező (area in which mines have been hidden) · ru ми́нное по́ле (dangerous situation) · da minefelt (area in which mines have been hidden) · de Minenfeld (area in which mines have been hidden) · ja 地雷原 (area in which mines have been hidden) · it campo minato (dangerous situation) · vi bãi mìn (area in which mines have been hidden) · uk мі́нне по́ле (area in which mines have been hidden) · fr champ de mines (area in which mines have been hidden) · es campo minado (dangerous situation) · el ναρκοπέδιο (area in which mines have been hidden)