Ask Difference

Field vs. Plane — What's the Difference?

By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 6, 2024
Field typically refers to an area of open land, often used for agriculture or sports, while plane generally means a flat, two-dimensional surface extending infinitely in all directions.
Field vs. Plane — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Field and Plane

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Key Differences

A field is commonly associated with a physical space in the outdoors, used for activities such as farming, grazing, or sports. Whereas a plane in geometry is an abstract concept describing a flat surface that has no thickness and extends indefinitely in all directions.
Fields are tangible and can be experienced through senses like sight and touch, while planes are theoretical constructs used primarily in mathematics and physics.
In agriculture, a field may contain soil, crops, or livestock, highlighting its practical, utilitarian nature. On the other hand, a mathematical plane is a tool for discussing concepts such as lines, points, and figures without physical constraints.
Fields often have geographical boundaries defined by natural formations or human-made markers. Conversely, a plane is considered limitless, with no edges or boundaries. While fields are influenced by environmental factors like climate and weather, planes are immutable and unaffected by external conditions.
In terms of applications, fields are essential in ecosystems and human economies, particularly in agriculture and sports. Planes, however, are crucial in theoretical disciplines like geometry and engineering, providing a foundation for various calculations and designs.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

An area of open land, often used for specific purposes such as agriculture or sports.
A flat, two-dimensional surface extending infinitely in all directions.

Physicality

Tangible and can be physically located and measured.
Abstract and theoretical, without physical presence.

Boundaries

Has defined geographical limits.
Has no boundaries, extends infinitely.

Uses

Used for agriculture, sports, or as natural habitat.
Used in mathematics and physics for theoretical analyses and problem solving.

Impact of Environment

Affected by environmental conditions like weather and climate.
Unaffected by external physical conditions.

Compare with Definitions

Field

A piece of land used for agricultural purposes.
The field next to the river is perfect for growing corn.

Plane

In mathematics, a flat surface with no thickness that extends infinitely.
A horizontal plane divides an object into upper and lower sections.

Field

A broad area of study or influence.
She is an expert in the field of biochemistry.

Plane

A level of existence or thought.
The discussion moved onto a different plane of abstraction.

Field

An area marked for playing sports.
The soccer field was muddy after the rain.

Plane

In carpentry, a tool for smoothing surfaces.
He used a plane to smooth the wooden table.

Field

In physics, a region in which a particular force is effective.
The magnetic field around the magnet affects iron filings.

Plane

An airplane.
The plane took off an hour late.

Field

A space or range within which objects are visible from a specific viewpoint.
The deer entered the field of view of his binoculars.

Plane

(Mathematics) A surface containing all the straight lines that connect any two points on it.

Field

A broad, level, open expanse of land.

Plane

A flat or level surface.

Field

A meadow
Cows grazing in a field.

Plane

A level of development, existence, or achievement
Scholarship on a high plane.

Field

A cultivated expanse of land, especially one devoted to a particular crop
A field of corn.

Plane

An airplane or hydroplane.

Field

A portion of land or a geologic formation containing a specified natural resource
A copper field.

Plane

A supporting surface of an airplane; an airfoil or wing.

Field

A wide unbroken expanse, as of ice.

Plane

A carpenter's tool with an adjustable blade for smoothing and leveling wood.

Field

A battleground.

Plane

A trowel-shaped tool for smoothing the surface of clay, sand, or plaster in a mold.

Field

(Archaic) A battle.

Plane

The plane tree.

Field

The scene or an area of military operations or maneuvers
Officers in the field.

Plane

(Mathematics) Of or being a figure lying in a plane
A plane curve.

Field

A background area, as on a flag, painting, or coin
A blue insignia on a field of red.

Plane

Flat; level.

Field

(Heraldry) The background of a shield or one of the divisions of the background.

Plane

To smooth or finish with a plane
Planed the door.

Field

An area or setting of practical activity or application outside an office, school, factory, or laboratory
Biologists working in the field.
A product tested in the field.

Plane

To remove with a plane
Plane off the rough edges on a board.

Field

An area or region where business activities are conducted
Sales representatives in the field.

Plane

To work with a plane.

Field

An area in which an athletic event takes place, especially the area inside or near to a running track, where field events are held.

Plane

To rise partly out of the water, as a hydroplane does at high speeds.

Field

In baseball, the positions on defense or the ability to play defense
She excels in the field.

Plane

To soar or glide.

Field

In baseball, one of the three sections of the outfield
He can hit to any field.

Plane

To travel by airplane.

Field

A range, area, or subject of human activity, interest, or knowledge
Several fields of endeavor.

Plane

Of a surface: flat or level.

Field

The contestants or participants in a competition or athletic event, especially those other than the favorite or winner.

Plane

A level or flat surface.

Field

The body of riders following a pack of hounds in hunting.

Plane

(geometry) A flat surface extending infinitely in all directions (e.g. horizontal or vertical plane). Category:en:Surfaces

Field

The people running in an election for a political office
The field has been reduced to three candidates.

Plane

(anatomy) An imaginary plane which divides the body into two portions.

Field

(Mathematics) A set of elements having two operations, designated addition and multiplication, satisfying the conditions that multiplication is distributive over addition, that the set is a group under addition, and that the elements with the exception of the additive identity form a group under multiplication.

Plane

A level of existence or development.
Astral plane

Field

(Physics) A physical quantity in a region of space, such as gravitational force or fluid pressure, having a distinct value (scalar, vector, or tensor) at each point.

Plane

A roughly flat, thin, often moveable structure used to create lateral force by the flow of air or water over its surface, found on aircraft, submarines, etc. (Compare airfoil, hydrofoil.)}}

Field

The usually circular area in which the image is rendered by the lens system of an optical instrument; field of view.

Plane

Any of 17 designated ranges of 216 (65,536) sequential code points each.

Field

An element of a database record in which one piece of information is stored.

Plane

A tool for smoothing wood by removing thin layers from the surface.

Field

A space, as on an online form or request for information, that accepts the input of text
An address field.

Plane

An airplane; an aeroplane.

Field

Growing, cultivated, or living in fields or open land.

Plane

(entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies, of various genera, having a slow gliding flight.

Field

Made, used, or carried on in the field
Field operations.

Plane

(entomology) The butterfly Bindahara phocides, family Lycaenidae, of Asia and Australasia.

Field

Working, operating, or active in the field
Field representatives of a firm.

Plane

(countable) A deciduous tree of the genus Platanus.

Field

(Sports) To catch or pick up (a ball) and often make a throw to another player, especially in baseball.

Plane

(Northern UK) A sycamore.

Field

To respond to or deal with
Fielded tough questions from the press.

Plane

To smooth (wood) with a plane.

Field

(Sports) To place in the playing area
Field a team.

Plane

To move in a way that lifts the bow out of the water.

Field

To nominate in an election
Field a candidate.

Plane

To glide or soar.

Field

To put into action; deploy
Field an army of campaign workers.

Plane

Any tree of the genus Platanus.

Field

To enter (data) into a field.

Plane

A surface, real or imaginary, in which, if any two points are taken, the straight line which joins them lies wholly in that surface; or a surface, any section of which by a like surface is a straight line; a surface without curvature.

Field

To play as a fielder
How well can he field?.

Plane

An ideal surface, conceived as coinciding with, or containing, some designated astronomical line, circle, or other curve; as, the plane of an orbit; the plane of the ecliptic, or of the equator.

Field

A land area free of woodland, cities, and towns; an area of open country.
There are several species of wild flowers growing in this field.

Plane

A block or plate having a perfectly flat surface, used as a standard of flatness; a surface plate.

Field

The open country near or belonging to a town or city.

Plane

A tool for smoothing boards or other surfaces of wood, for forming moldings, etc. It consists of a smooth-soled stock, usually of wood, from the under side or face of which projects slightly the steel cutting edge of a chisel, called the iron, which inclines backward, with an apperture in front for the escape of shavings; as, the jack plane; the smoothing plane; the molding plane, etc.

Field

A wide, open space that is used to grow crops or to hold farm animals, usually enclosed by a fence, hedge or other barrier.
There were some cows grazing in a field.
A crop circle was made in a corn field.

Plane

Without elevations or depressions; even; level; flat; lying in, or constituting, a plane; as, a plane surface.

Field

(geology) A region containing a particular mineral.
An oil field; a gold field

Plane

To make smooth; to level; to pare off the inequalities of the surface of, as of a board or other piece of wood, by the use of a plane; as, to plane a plank.

Field

An airfield, airport or air base; especially, one with unpaved runways.

Plane

To efface or remove.
He planed away the names . . . written on his tables.

Field

A place where competitive matches are carried out.

Plane

Figuratively, to make plain or smooth.
What student came but that you planed her path.

Field

A place where a battle is fought; a battlefield.

Plane

Of a boat, to lift more or less out of the water while in motion, after the manner of a hydroplane; to hydroplane.

Field

An area reserved for playing a game or race with one’s physical force.
Soccer field
Substitutes are only allowed onto the field after their boots are checked.

Plane

An aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets;
The flight was delayed due to trouble with the airplane

Field

A place where competitive matches are carried out with figures, or playing area in a board game or a computer game.

Plane

(mathematics) an unbounded two-dimensional shape;
We will refer to the plane of the graph as the X-Y plane
Any line joining two points on a plane lies wholly on that plane

Field

A competitive situation, circumstances in which one faces conflicting moves of rivals.

Plane

A level of existence or development;
He lived on a worldly plane

Field

(metonymically) All of the competitors in any outdoor contest or trial, or all except the favourites in the betting.
This racehorse is the strongest in a weak field.

Plane

A power tool for smoothing or shaping wood

Field

Any of various figurative meanings, often dead metaphors.

Plane

A carpenter's hand tool with an adjustable blade for smoothing or shaping wood;
The cabinetmaker used a plane for the finish work

Field

(physics) A physical phenomenon (such as force, potential or fluid velocity) that pervades a region; a mathematical model of such a phenomenon that associates each point and time with a scalar, vector or tensor quantity.
Magnetic field; gravitational field; scalar field

Plane

Cut or remove with or as if with a plane;
The machine shaved off fine layers from the piece of wood

Field

Any of certain structures serving cognition.

Plane

Travel on the surface of water

Field

A physical or virtual location for the input of information in the form of symbols.

Plane

Make even or smooth, with or as with a carpenter's plane;
Plane the top of the door

Field

Part (usually one half) of a frame in an interlaced signal

Plane

Having a horizontal surface in which no part is higher or lower than another;
A flat desk
Acres of level farmland
A plane surface

Field

To intercept or catch (a ball) and play it.

Field

To be the team catching and throwing the ball, as opposed to hitting it.
The blue team are fielding first, while the reds are batting.

Field

To place a team, its players, etc. in a game.
The away team fielded two new players and the second-choice goalkeeper.

Field

(transitive) To answer; to address.
She will field questions immediately after her presentation.

Field

(transitive) To defeat.
They fielded a fearsome army.

Field

(transitive) To execute research (in the field).
He fielded the marketing survey about the upcoming product.

Field

To deploy in the field.
To field a new land-mine detector

Field

Cleared land; land suitable for tillage or pasture; cultivated ground; the open country.

Field

A piece of land of considerable size; esp., a piece inclosed for tillage or pasture.
Fields which promise corn and wine.

Field

A place where a battle is fought; also, the battle itself.
In this glorious and well-foughten field.
What though the field be lost?

Field

An open space; an extent; an expanse.
Without covering, save yon field of stars.
Ask of yonder argent fields above.

Field

The whole surface of an escutcheon; also, so much of it is shown unconcealed by the different bearings upon it. See Illust. of Fess, where the field is represented as gules (red), while the fess is argent (silver).

Field

An unresticted or favorable opportunity for action, operation, or achievement; province; room.
Afforded a clear field for moral experiments.

Field

A collective term for all the competitors in any outdoor contest or trial, or for all except the favorites in the betting.

Field

That part of the grounds reserved for the players which is outside of the diamond; - called also outfield.

Field

To take the field.

Field

To stand out in the field, ready to catch, stop, or throw the ball.

Field

To catch, stop, throw, etc. (the ball), as a fielder.

Field

A piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed;
He planted a field of wheat

Field

A region where a battle is being (or has been) fought;
They made a tour of Civil War battlefields

Field

Somewhere (away from a studio or office or library or laboratory) where practical work is done or data is collected;
Anthropologists do much of their work in the field

Field

A branch of knowledge;
In what discipline is his doctorate?
Teachers should be well trained in their subject
Anthropology is the study of human beings

Field

The space around a radiating body within which its electromagnetic oscillations can exert force on another similar body not in contact with it

Field

A particular kind of commercial enterprise;
They are outstanding in their field

Field

A particular environment or walk of life;
His social sphere is limited
It was a closed area of employment
He's out of my orbit

Field

A piece of land prepared for playing a game;
The home crowd cheered when Princeton took the field

Field

Extensive tract of level open land;
They emerged from the woods onto a vast open plain
He longed for the fields of his youth

Field

(mathematics) a set of elements such that addition and multiplication are commutative and associative and multiplication is distributive over addition and there are two elements 0 and 1;
The set of all rational numbers is a field

Field

A region in which active military operations are in progress;
The army was in the field awaiting action
He served in the Vietnam theater for three years

Field

All of the horses in a particular horse race

Field

All the competitors in a particular contest or sporting event

Field

A geographic region (land or sea) under which something valuable is found;
The diamond fields of South Africa

Field

(computer science) a set of one or more adjacent characters comprising a unit of information

Field

The area that is visible (as through an optical instrument)

Field

A place where planes take off and land

Field

Catch or pick up (balls) in baseball or cricket

Field

Play as a fielder

Field

Answer adequately or successfully;
The lawyer fielded all questions from the press

Field

Select (a team or individual player) for a game;
The Patriots fielded a young new quarterback for the Rose Bowl

Common Curiosities

What is a plane in geometry?

A plane is a flat, two-dimensional surface that extends infinitely in all directions.

What is a field?

A field is an area of open land, often used for agriculture or sports.

Can a field be used in science?

Yes, in physics, a field can refer to an area in which a specific force (like magnetic or gravitational) is effective.

How is a plane used in mathematics?

Planes are used in geometry to discuss theoretical concepts and solve problems involving points, lines, and figures.

Are fields affected by weather?

Yes, fields are directly influenced by weather and climatic conditions.

What are some applications of fields?

Fields are crucial in agriculture for growing crops and in sports as playing grounds.

Can a field have multiple uses?

Yes, fields can be used for agriculture, sports, or as natural habitats.

How do fields contribute to ecosystems?

Fields often serve as habitats for various wildlife and play a role in natural cycles like water and carbon cycles.

Is the concept of a plane limited to geometry?

While most commonly used in geometry, the concept of a plane is also significant in physics and other sciences.

Do planes have physical boundaries?

No, planes in geometry have no physical boundaries and are considered infinite.

What does it mean for a plane to extend infinitely?

It means a plane goes on endlessly in all directions, with no stopping point.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Urooj Arif
Urooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.

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