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

The plan includes 25 acres of publicly accessible open space that supports uses such as parks, plazas, walking and biking trails, recreation centers and picnic areas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

The first image from The Other Bennet Sister Christmas special has been revealed, teasing a romantic picnic scene.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

Following the show — billowing shapes, punk-y hair sculptures, all classically Collina — we walked into a whimsical picnic complete with a margarita fountain.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

Upgrade the experience with a picnic and wine pairing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

A crowd is already gathering, mostly on picnic blankets and lawn chairs, between the lake and the campgrounds.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Bowie told the informant that she would "make it a point to have picnics by the capital to observe" and learn about security measures, the complaint alleges.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

To combat the isolation and boredom, troops sometimes do fun activities aboard the ship, like hold singing competitions and picnics on the top deck.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

“This used to be a park where my dad and I used to come and have picnics and he would play ballgaming here with a lot of families,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

Inflation is upending even casual dating, as Gen Z swaps dinners and $20 cocktails for picnics, walks and coffee runs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

They take girls for picnics to different resorts.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai

Olivia Rodrigo picnicked in the park with one.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

I’d seen the Joey P. my entire life; I had visited it on field trips and picnicked in a park that stands in the shadow of its gun mounts.

From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2025

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

COLIC: colicky frolic: frolicked, frolicker, frolicking GARLIC: garlicky mimic: mimicked, mimicking panic: panicked, panicking, panicky picnic: picnicked, picnicker, picnicking POLITICS: politicker, politicking traffic: trafficked, trafficker, trafficking playwright.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

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

From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026

When we arrive, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish couple are picnicking under the trees outside.

From BBC ● Feb. 13, 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

These candies are a great option for those who want to enjoy something light and fruity while picnicking.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2025

“Been picnicking in my blind spot for a half hour.”

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Related Words

• barbecue
• cookout
• excursion
• outing