potluck

noun

pot·​luck ˈpät-ˈlək 

 sense 1b also  -ˌlək

1

a

: the regular meal available to a guest for whom no special preparations have been made

b

: a communal meal to which people bring food to share

—usually used attributively

a potluck supper

2

: whatever is offered or available in given circumstances or at a given time

Examples of potluck in a Sentence

He organized a neighborhood potluck for next Saturday.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the South, there’s never a bad time for a potluck, even first thing in the morning. —Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2024

Exorcising the internet from Halloween, though, could resurrect the holiday’s true spirit: a cultural potluck at which all, whether Marvel or monster, are welcome. —Kate Lindsay, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024

Take this versatile dessert to a bake sale or bring to Thanksgiving potluck. —Jorie Nicole McDonald, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2024

Banana pudding is a utility player for pretty much any occasion, equally at home at wedding receptions or post-funeral gatherings; church potlucks or backyard beer bashes; fancy restaurants or basic barbecue huts. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

potluck

noun

pot·​luck ˈpät-ˈlək 

1

a

: a regular meal for which no special preparations have been made

b

: a meal to which people bring food to share

2

: whatever is offered or available in given circumstances or at a given time