field hockey
Medium frequencyNeutral; widely understood in sporting contexts.
Definition
Meaning
An outdoor team sport played between two teams of eleven players each, who use hooked sticks to hit a small, hard ball into the opposing team's goal.
Can refer broadly to the cultural institution, rules, equipment, and communities associated with this sport. In some contexts, may be used to distinguish the outdoor game from other hockey variants (e.g., ice hockey, roller hockey).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term specifies the surface (field) and distinguishes it from other major forms of hockey. In many Commonwealth countries, it is simply called 'hockey', with other forms receiving a qualifier (e.g., 'ice hockey').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK and many Commonwealth nations (e.g., India, Australia, Pakistan), the sport is predominantly called 'hockey'. In the US and Canada, the qualifier 'field' is almost always used to avoid confusion with 'ice hockey', which is the dominant hockey sport there.
Connotations
In the US/Canada, it connotes a niche, often scholastic or collegiate sport. In the UK/Commonwealth, 'hockey' (unqualified) carries strong national and international sporting prestige.
Frequency
The term 'field hockey' is significantly more frequent in North American English. 'Hockey' is vastly more frequent elsewhere for this sport.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] plays field hockey.[Team] competed in field hockey.She is good at field hockey.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No direct idioms. Associated with sporting idioms like 'hit for six', 'on the ball', 'stick to it'.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in contexts of sports marketing, equipment sales, or event sponsorship.
Academic
Used in sports science, sociology of sport, or historical studies of games.
Everyday
Used in discussing hobbies, school sports, or watching international competitions like the Olympics.
Technical
Used in coaching manuals, rulebooks (FIH rules), and discussions of tactics, stick technology, or pitch surfaces (water-based vs. sand-based).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She hockeyed for England in the 1990s. (informal/rare)
American English
- She field-hockeyed throughout high school. (informal/rare)
adverb
British English
- They played hockey brilliantly. (using 'hockey' as the activity modified)
American English
- They played field hockey aggressively.
adjective
British English
- He's a hockey-mad school. (using 'hockey' for the adjective)
American English
- She made the all-state field-hockey team. (hyphenated compound adjective)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I play field hockey at school.
- We watch field hockey on TV.
- Our field hockey team won the local championship last year.
- Do you prefer field hockey or football?
- The Olympic field hockey final was a tense, goalless affair until the last quarter.
- Modern field hockey sticks are made from advanced composite materials.
- The tactical shift towards a high press has revolutionised international field hockey in the last decade.
- Her dissertation analysed gender representation in media coverage of field hockey versus ice hockey.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FIELD where you play HOCKEY with a ball, not on ICE with a puck.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPORT IS WAR (e.g., 'defensive line', 'attacking penalty corner', 'battle for midfield').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not directly translate as 'полевой хоккей'. The standard Russian term is 'хоккей на траве' (hockey on grass). Calling it just 'хоккей' implies ice hockey.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'hockey' without clarification in an American context, leading to confusion with ice hockey. Incorrectly capitalising as 'Field Hockey' in general prose.
Practice
Quiz
In which country would you most likely hear the sport called simply 'hockey'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, field hockey has been a permanent Olympic sport for men since 1928 and for women since 1980.
The main differences are the playing surface (grass/artificial turf vs. ice), the object played (a small, hard ball vs. a puck), and the amount of protective gear (less in field hockey).
In North America, 'hockey' primarily refers to ice hockey, which is far more popular. The qualifier 'field' is necessary to specify the outdoor, non-ice version of the game.
No, only the flat side of the stick may be used to play the ball. Using the rounded back is a foul.