field sports: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1formal, technical
Quick answer
What does “field sports” mean?
Traditional outdoor sports involving the pursuit and hunting of game animals or birds, typically in a rural setting.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Traditional outdoor sports involving the pursuit and hunting of game animals or birds, typically in a rural setting.
Sports that involve hunting or shooting animals in their natural habitat; can also refer more broadly to outdoor rural sports like fishing, beagling, or falconry.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is more commonly used in British English. In American English, 'field sports' is less common and often replaced by more specific terms like 'hunting and shooting sports', 'upland hunting', or simply 'hunting'. The UK concept often includes sports like fox hunting with hounds, which is not typical in the US.
Connotations
In the UK, it often implies a traditional, upper-class activity tied to land ownership. In the US, it is less class-coded and is more strongly associated with recreational hunting.
Frequency
High frequency in UK specialist/land management contexts; low-to-medium frequency in US, typically within niche hunting communities.
Grammar
How to Use “field sports” in a Sentence
participate in + field sportsbe bannedregulate + field sportsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “field sports” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He fieldsports every weekend during the season.
- The estate has been field-sported for generations.
American English
- (Not commonly used as a verb. Americans would say 'He goes hunting/shooting.')
adjective
British English
- She comes from a field-sports family.
- The field-sports community opposed the new law.
American English
- He is a field-sports enthusiast.
- They discussed field-sports legislation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in the context of land management, tourism (e.g., 'field sports holidays'), and retail (e.g., specialist equipment).
Academic
Appears in papers on wildlife ecology, rural sociology, animal ethics, and land-use history.
Everyday
Rare in general conversation; used among participants or when discussing related news/controversies.
Technical
Used in legal statutes, conservation organization reports, and gamekeeping manuals.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “field sports”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “field sports”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “field sports”
- Using it to refer to athletics (track and field). Confusing it with 'field games' like football or rugby.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in British English, fox hunting with hounds is traditionally classified as a field sport, though it is now heavily regulated and controversial.
They are largely synonymous, though 'country sports' can have a slightly broader scope, sometimes including activities like clay pigeon shooting that are not always 'in the field'.
Yes, both angling (fishing) and falconry are typically included under the umbrella of field or country sports, as they involve pursuing wild creatures in their natural environment.
While the specific term is less common in American English, it is understood and can be correctly applied to activities like upland bird hunting, deer hunting, and waterfowling.
Traditional outdoor sports involving the pursuit and hunting of game animals or birds, typically in a rural setting.
Field sports is usually formal, technical in register.
Field sports: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfiːld ˌspɔːts/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfiːld ˌspɔːrts/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in the field (meaning: participating in field sports)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Picture a SPORTS FIELD, then imagine the field is not a pitch but a vast countryside where traditional sports like hunting take place.
Conceptual Metaphor
NATURE AS AN ARENA (for traditional, ritualised competition).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'field sports' most accurately used?