An area of land containing hidden explosive mines; or (metaphorically) a situation with many hidden dangers or problems.
Compound word from 'mine' (explosive device) and 'field'; military term from WWI and WWII warfare, now commonly used figuratively to describe tricky situations like negotiations or relationships.
The metaphorical use of 'minefield' is so powerful because it perfectly captures that feeling of walking carefully through a situation, never knowing when you'll accidentally trigger a disaster—war language became the language of everyday stress!
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