# field hockey

CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/field-hockey
Updated: 2026-08-05

## Definition

a sport played on grass or artificial turf where two teams try to hit a ball into a goal using sticks with curved ends.

For teachers: a team sport played on a pitch between two sides of eleven players who use hooked sticks to propel a small, hard ball into the opponent's goal.

## Examples

- The school team practices field hockey on the grass every Tuesday.
- During the tournament, the players wore protective shin guards to prevent injuries from the heavy field hockey ball.
- Modern field hockey is predominantly played on synthetic water-based surfaces, which allow for a much faster pace and higher technical precision than traditional natural grass pitches.

## Usage notes

- Typically treated as uncountable when referring to the sport itself; often shortened to simply 'hockey' in many regions except North America.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.