picnic

American  

[pik-nik] / ˈpɪk nɪk /

noun

picnics plural

1. an excursion or outing in which the participants carry food with them and share a meal in the open air.

2. the food eaten on such an excursion.

3. Also called picnic ham,.  Also called picnic shoulder.  a section of pork shoulder, usually boned, smoked, and weighing 4–6 pounds.

4. Informal. an enjoyable experience or time, easy task, etc..

   Being laid up in a hospital is no picnic.

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verb (used without object)

picnics, present (3rd person singular) picnicked, past participle, past picnicking present participle

1. to go on or take part in a picnic.

picnic British  

/ ˈpɪknɪk /

noun

1. a trip or excursion to the country, seaside, etc, on which people bring food to be eaten in the open air

2. 1. any informal meal eaten outside

   2. ( as modifier )

      a picnic lunch

3. informal a troublesome situation or experience

4. informal a hard or disagreeable task

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verb

1. (intr) to eat a picnic

picnic Idioms  

1. see no picnic.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• picnicker
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• picnics
  plural

Participles

• picnicking
  present
• picnicked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• picnic
  simple
• picnics
  simple
• have picnicked
  perfect
• has picnicked
  perfect
• am picnicking
  progressive
• are picnicking
  progressive
• is picnicking
  progressive
• have been picnicking
  perfect progressive
• has been picnicking
  perfect progressive

Past

• picnicked
  simple
• had picnicked
  perfect
• was picnicking
  progressive
• were picnicking
  progressive
• had been picnicking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will picnic
  simple
• will have picnicked
  perfect
• will be picnicking
  progressive
• will have been picnicking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of picnic

1740–50; < German Pic-nic (now Picknick ) < French pique-nique, rhyming compound < ?

Explanation

A picnic is a meal that you eat outside. For your birthday, you might take a picnic lunch (including celebratory cupcakes) to a nearby beach with some friends. You can use the word picnic for both the occasion — "Let's go on a picnic!" — and for the meal itself: "I am packing the best picnic to take on our hike." It's also a verb, meaning "to eat outside." And when a friend describes a difficult task and adds, "It was no picnic," they mean to emphasize how hard it was — the opposite of an easy, breezy picnic.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

picnic picnics picnicked picnicking

For a picnic - or picky bits - prices can vary.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

Last Saturday morning, dozens of families set up their canopies for the annual Chavez Ravine community picnic, bringing photo albums and other cherished keepsakes to display table side.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

A clown paints children's faces, music fills the air, as families spread picnic carpets across the grass.

From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026

If you’re the type who likes to be ready at the drop of a hat, try any one of these all-inclusive picnic setups, which include plates, silverware, cups and even a wine opener.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

He wore a gray belted suit and held a large picnic basket with both hands.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

For parents who are able to take annual leave, Streeter said a "DIY approach" - by keeping children entertained with picnics, local attractions and low cost days out could prove "far better value".

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Unlike in previous years, when residents could bring coolers and picnics to the mall, guests this year will go through security and are allowed to bring only one small clear bag.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

I have a small complaint about modern picnics.

From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026

Newsom has reported receiving $72,000 in travel, staff picnics and holiday events from the protocol foundation since he took office in 2019, according to the disclosures.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2026

He went to museums, took long, predictable walks—and enjoyed family picnics.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Young women and men picnicked side by side on the pavement, chanting: “Woman! Life! Freedom!”

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 27, 2022

Streets of identical high-rise apartments were interspersed with parks and wide, tree-lined streets, while residents picnicked beside the Siverskyi Donets river and in forests nearby.

From Reuters ● May 30, 2022

And when we picnicked on a Sunday night, the meal seemed to stretch the weekend a little longer.

From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2021

“We get no water from the pipelines, less water from our well, and we can’t afford tanker water. Of course we’re angry!” said Anjali Tamang, a student, as she picnicked with friends along the Bagmati.

From New York Times ● Jan. 11, 2020

We had picnicked above the beach among the sand dunes, almost on a kind of plateau.

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep

A fisherman packed up his rods next to a family picnicking on the waterfront.

From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026

At first, these trolley parks were simply gardens and picnicking grounds, but in time other attractions and rides like roller coasters and Ferris wheels were added.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

His summer concerts became civic rituals: families picnicking, fans waving lightsabers in time to “The Imperial March” and Williams emerging each night to ovations more often reserved for rock stars.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2025

In full view of the picnicking pensioners waving karaoke mics are huge commercial ships, some as long as three football fields.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2025

Some large creature had been on the island, perhaps picnicking, and had gone away forgetting the book and the watch.

From "Abel's Island" by William Steig

Related Words

• barbecue
• cookout
• excursion
• outing