noun

das Feld, -er

field

Ein großes, offenes Stück Land, das oft für Landwirtschaft genutzt wird oder einfach frei in der Natur liegt.

Definition & meaning

Feld generally means field, but it has several related meanings:

An area of land used for agriculture
A piece of open land where crops are grown.
- The farmer is working in the field.
- German compound examples include Ackerfeld and Kornfeld .
A playing field or sports pitch
An area where a sport is played, especially outdoor team sports. In this sense, it can overlap with Spielfeld .
A field of study, work, or expertise
A subject area or professional domain, similar to “field” or “area” in English.
- Fachgebiet and Bereich are often used in this meaning.
A box, cell, or space in a form or table
For example, a text-entry field on a website or a square on a game board. The related word Eingabefeld means “input field.”
A battlefield or military campaign
In older or formal language, im Feld can mean “in the field” or “on campaign.”

Grammar & Word origin

Gender: neuter: das Feld
Plural: die Felder
Genitive singular: des Feldes
Dative singular: dem Feld

The word comes from Old High German feld and is related to English “field” and Dutch “veld.” Its basic sense is an open, level area. Many modern meanings developed metaphorically from this idea of an open area or domain.

Synonyms & antonyms

The appropriate synonym depends on the meaning:

Acker means a cultivated field specifically, while Feld is broader.
Wiese means a meadow or grassy field, usually not land used for growing crops.
Spielfeld specifically means a sports field or playing area.
Gebiet and Bereich mean an area or domain, especially in an abstract sense.
Fachgebiet refers specifically to an academic or professional field.

There is no single universal antonym. Depending on the context, possible contrasts include:

Stadt or bebautes Gebiet when contrasting open farmland with an urban or developed area.
Wald when contrasting an open agricultural area with a wooded area.
Innenraum when contrasting an outdoor sports field with an indoor space.

Common phrases & collocations

auf dem Feld — in the field
aufs Feld gehen — to go into the field; also to go out to play or compete
ein Feld bestellen — to cultivate or work a field
ein Feld pflügen — to plough a field
ein weites Feld — a broad or extensive topic
ein Feld der Forschung — a field of research
das Feld räumen — to withdraw or give way
jemandem das Feld überlassen — to leave the field to someone; to let someone else take control