picnic

1 of 2

noun

pic·​nic ˈpik-(ˌ)nik How to pronounce picnic (audio)
often attributive
1
: an excursion or outing with food usually provided by members of the group and eaten in the open
also : the food provided for a picnic
2
a
: a pleasant or amusingly carefree experience
I don't expect being married to be a picnicJosephine Pinckney
b
: an easy task or feat
3
: a shoulder of pork with much of the butt removed
picnicky adjective

picnic

2 of 2

verb

picnicked; picnicking

intransitive verb

: to go on a picnic : eat in picnic fashion
picnicker noun

Examples of picnic in a Sentence

Noun We decided to have a picnic on the beach. We ate our picnic by the lake. The annual school picnic is this weekend. This winter is a picnic compared with last year's. Verb We picnicked in the park.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Plus, no two flights are the same, with sightings, routes, and picnic spots constantly changing. Shaun Stanley, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2024 Pack a picnic and some drinks and spend three or four hours touring the city from the deck, looking for bands floating down the river and playing on rafts. Linnea Covington, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
The Granite Basin Recreation Area offers year-round recreation opportunities including hiking, horse riding, non-motorized boating, rock climbing, fishing, camping, and picnicking at the quiet spots by the water. Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 9 Sep. 2024 The beach town is known for its family-friendly pace, waterfront eateries, and tiki hut picnicking at the park. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for picnic 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

German or French; German Picknick, from French pique-nique

First Known Use

Noun

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1815, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of picnic was in 1815

Dictionary Entries Near picnic

Cite this Entry

“Picnic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/picnic. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

picnic

1 of 2 noun
pic·​nic ˈpik-(ˌ)nik How to pronounce picnic (audio)
1
: a meal eaten outdoors often during a trip away from home
2
a
: a pleasant or carefree experience
breaking a leg is no picnic
b
: an easy task
3
: a shoulder of pork that is often smoked and boned
picnicky adjective

picnic

2 of 2 verb
picnicked; picnicking
: to go on a picnic : eat as if on a picnic
picnicker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on picnic

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