2 syllables: air, field. Stress on air.
ER-feeld
/ˈɛˌɹfild/
airfield is pronounced ER-feeld (/ˈɛˌɹfild/). It has two syllables (air-field), with the stress on "air". Airfield is a noun referring to a tract of land equipped for aircraft to take off and land. It combines a clear, open landing area with cautionary markings and supporting facilities. The term is commonly used in aviation contexts and war/defense reporting, and may appear in civilian or military settings as a location descriptor rather than a staffed airport.
Airfield is a noun referring to a tract of land equipped for aircraft to take off and land. It combines a clear, open landing area with cautionary markings and supporting facilities. The term is commonly used in aviation contexts and war/defense reporting, and may appear in civilian or military settings as a location descriptor rather than a staffed airport.
- You will sometimes swallow the /r/ in the first syllable or let it drift into a non-rhotic vowel; to fix, explicitly stabilize the /ɹ/ or monitor the vowel quality to keep it fronted. - You may skip or soften the final /ld/, blending it into the preceding vowel; fix by exaggerating the /l/ and a crisp /d/ release, practicing with word pairs like field/dield to hear the difference. - Another common pitfall is treating airfield as AIR-field with a heavy break; maintain smooth, two-syllable rhythm with /ˈɛər/ followed by /fiːld/ to maintain natural flow.
"The helicopter touched down on the airfield’s grassy strip."
"Airfield operations require careful coordination between ground crews and air traffic control."
"A new airfield expansion project aims to reduce congestion at the regional airport."
Pronounce as /ˈɛərˌfiːld/ (US) or /ˈeəfiːld/ (UK). Stress falls on the first syllable: AIR-field, with a secondary stress on the second syllable only when speaking slowly. Start with an open-mid front-lax vowel in the first syllable, then glide into /r/ or /ə/ as the accent dictates, followed by /fiːld/ — the /iː/ is a long vowel, then a light /l/ plus /d/. Audio examples: use Cambridge/Oxford, or Forvo for native examples.
Common mistakes: (1) Turning /ˈɛər/ into a simple /er/ with a reduced vowel; (2) Slurring the /f/ into a /v/ or not clearly releasing /ld/ at the end; (3) Misplacing the stress by giving equal weight to both syllables. Correction: emphasize the first syllable with /ˈɛər/ (or /ˈeə/ in UK), clearly articulate /f/ as a voiceless labiodental fricative, and finish with a crisp /ld/ cluster. Practice by isolating /ˈɛər/ and then adding /fiːld/ in gradual speed.
In US, /ˈɛərˌfiːld/ with rhotic /ɹ/ and a two-syllable rhythm; UK often uses /ˈeəfiːld/ with a less pronounced rhoticity and a smoother /eə/ diphthong; Australian tends toward /ˈeəfiːld/ similar to UK, with a flatter intonation and less vowel reduction in rapid speech. The /r/ is less intrusive in some UK varieties; the /iː/ remains long across accents. The final /ld/ cluster stays clear, but rhythm and vowel heights vary by vowel quality and timing.
The difficulty centers on the initial diphthong in /ˈɛər/ or /ˈeə/, the easy coalescence into a single syllable in rapid speech, and the final /ld/ cluster which can soften or blur in some accents. Additionally, the two-syllable rhythm with strong first-syllable stress can cause over-syllabication or under-emphasis, and non-native learners may insert extra sounds or misplace the stress. With focused practice on the /ɹ/ or /ə/ transition and final /ld/ release, you’ll improve accuracy.
A unique angle is the variable realization of the first vowel: in many American varieties it is the /ɛə/ or /ɛr/ sequence, while some speakers reduce it toward a centralized vowel before the /r/ in rapid speech. UK and AU accents may render the first vowel closer to /eə/ with less r-coloring, especially in non-rhotic dialects. The combination of a strong initial vowel, a crisp /f/, and a strong /ld/ closure makes airfield notably dependent on precise tongue positioning and lip rounding.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "airfield"!
- US: emphasize rhotic /ɹ/ and the long /iː/ in /fiːld/, ensure the /ˈɛər/ is clearly pronounced with a stable jaw; avoid over-splaying the lips. - UK: reduce rhotic influence; keep /eə/ vowel quality and a crisp /f/; ensure you don’t turn /ld/ into a light or deleted end. - AU: similar to UK but with slightly flatter intonation; maintain long /iː/ and crisp final /ld/; watch for vowel height shifts in rapid speech. Use IPA references: US /ˈɛərˌfiːld/, UK /ˈeəfiːld/, AU /ˈeəfiːld/.
Airfield derives from air + field. The word air derives from Old English air, er, with roots in Proto-Germanic aiwag- or aero-. Field comes from Old English feld, related to Proto-Germanic felþhi. The combination emerged in English by the late 19th to early 20th century as aviation introduced dedicated ground areas for aircraft operations. Early uses described places where aircraft could be used for landing and takeoff, often improvised on open fields or unused land near settlements. As aviation infrastructure expanded, the term airfield came to denote defined, graded fields with markings, lighting, and, later, more formal facilities like hangars and control towers. The first printed instances appear in aviation reports and military manuals around the 1910s–1920s, reflecting the rapid evolution of air travel and the need to distinguish open landing areas from larger, more complex airports. Over time, airfield retained a more “operational” or battlefield connotation in some contexts, while in civil aviation it remained a standard term for smaller or more rural landing areas distinct from major airports.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "airfield" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "airfield" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "airfield" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "airfield"
-eld sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
