afield

adverb

1. abroad; away from home.
2. off the beaten path; far and wide: to go afield in one’s reading.
3. off the mark: His criticism was totally afield.
4. in or to the field or countryside.
5. beyond the range or field of one’s experience, knowledge, acquaintanceship, etc.: a philosophy far afield of previous philosophical thought.

adverb, adjective (postpositive)

1. away from one’s usual surroundings or home (esp in the phrase far afield)
2. off the subject; away from the point (esp in the phrase far afield)
3. in or to the field, esp the battlefield

adv.

1590s, contraction of Middle English in felde, from Old English on felda “in the field” (especially of battle), from a- “on” (see a- (1)) + field (n.). Meaning “away from home” is attested by early 15c.