minefield
Meaning
an area of land or water where explosive mines have been hidden.
a situation or subject that is full of hidden dangers or difficulties.
Structure
Usage
the army cleared a path through the old minefield.
navigating office politics can be a real minefield.
the contract negotiations turned into a legal minefield.
Etymology
the word 'minefield' is a transparent compound formed in english from two distinct roots. 'mine' entered english from middle french, where it originally referred to a tunnel dug to undermine a fortress wall, a meaning derived from the old french verb 'miner' (to dig). its association with explosive devices developed later. 'field' is a native english word from old english 'feld', denoting an expanse of open land. the compound 'minefield' first emerged in a military context to literally describe an area of land or water sown with explosive mines. its figurative sense, describing a situation fraught with unseen hazards, is a logical semantic extension based on the perilous and unpredictable nature of a literal minefield.
Analysis
mine (from middle french, meaning a tunnel for undermining or an explosive device); field (from old english 'feld', meaning open land).