potluck

American  

[pot-luhk, -luhk] / ˈpɒtˌlʌk, -ˈlʌk /

noun

• potlucks
  plural

1. food or a meal that happens to be available without special preparation or purchase.

   to take potluck with a friend.

2. Also called potluck dinner, potluck lunch, potluck supper. a meal, especially for a large group, to which participants bring various foods to be shared.

3. whatever is available or comes one's way.

   With fluctuating interest rates, homebuyers are learning to take potluck with the banks.

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potluck Idioms  

1. see take potluck.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• potlucks
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of potluck

First recorded in 1585–95; pot ¹ + luck

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Explanation

When each of the guests at a party brings a dish for everyone to share, that's a potluck. If you're invited to a potluck, you might want to bring your famous macaroni and cheese. This North American noun describes a particular type of meal, sometimes called a "covered-dish-supper" or a "dish-to-pass." If someone asks you to come to a potluck or a potluck supper, you'll want to be sure you don't arrive empty-handed. The potluck's origin dates to the Great Depression of the 1930s — earlier, the word meant "the luck of the pot, or food for an unexpected or uninvited guest."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

potluck potlucks

After the Palisades fire, the ranch began hosting weekly community potluck dinners for anyone who lost their home.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

The whole block was devastated, and we all held a potluck in his honor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

At a potluck, the assorted offerings—the masala potatoes, a church-basement casserole, a barbecue sauce perfected over decades—represent the best of individual traditions and stories of identity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

Even the most enthusiastic potluck table benefits from a little structural support.

From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2026

Boys from my graduating class are signing up and shipping out, and every week there’s a farewell potluck dinner in a church basement or the lobby of the Roxy or in someone’s home.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

The holidays represent an especially anxiety-ridden time for introverted employees—what with office parties, potlucks and other gatherings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025

While sharing food in a communal setting transcends seasons, potlucks especially thrive during the warmer months, when there’s a greater desire for community and outdoor gatherings.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2025

The flower growers hosted rotating potlucks at their farms and attended the San Fernando Valley Iris Society, of which Ferguson is a member.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2024

The centers often hosted political rallies, dances and potlucks, and some even helped community members prepare for the U.S. citizenship test.

From New York Times ● Mar. 13, 2024

At the potlucks of poor people churches in Oklahoma, the BBQ is always good.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

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Related Words

• breakfast
• brunch
• dessert
• dinner
• fare
• feast
• lunch
• luncheon
• picnic
• refreshment
• snack
• supper
• table
• tea

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