picnic

American  

[pik-nik] / ˈpɪk nɪk /

noun

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)

picnicked, picnicking

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

• picnicker noun

Etymology

Origin of picnic

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

Example Sentences

She walks toward the front of the building, where coordinating green picnic tables sit beneath a canopy, with vehicles parked on either side.

From Literature

"The 'life size Barbie dream house' is a cheap backdrop with a picnic table on some fake turf/grass."

From BBC

"A lot of the maximalism of cake picnic is potentially rooted in my desire to catch up."

From BBC

“It was at Marineworld in Redwood City and the entire staff, with kids, fit around four picnic tables.”

From Los Angeles Times

"You can picnic - and on an island nation you can really enjoy our coast for the first time."

From BBC

Related Words

• barbecue
• cookout
• excursion
• outing