picnic

The word “picnic” means a casual meal eaten outdoors, often in a park or countryside, where everyone brings their own food. In plain terms, an outdoor meal, or (informally) something easy.

“Picnic” is pronounced PIHK-nihk (/ˈpɪknɪk/ in IPA).

Here is “picnic” used in a sentence: “We packed sandwiches and had a picnic by the lake.”

Depending on how it is used, “picnic” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “picnic” dates back to around 1700 and comes from French. Borrowed in the 1700s from French pique-nique, a word of uncertain origin describing a meal to which guests each contributed a dish.

“Picnic” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Picnic” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a casual meal eaten outdoors, often in a park or countryside, where everyone brings their own food.

A picnic is a casual outdoor meal that people carry with them and eat cold or pre-prepared, often on a blanket or at a table in a park. A barbecue centers on cooking food, usually meat, over an open flame or grill at the location itself.

When something is described as "no picnic," it means the opposite of the word's usual easygoing sense: it is difficult, unpleasant, or demanding. This informal, often negative use plays off the idea that a picnic is normally relaxed and enjoyable.

Yes, picnic can be used as a verb meaning to have a picnic, as in "they picnicked by the river." The noun form describing the meal itself is more common in everyday speech.