noun
picnic
PIHK-nihk
noun
1
A casual meal eaten outdoors, often in a park or countryside, where everyone brings their own food.
"We packed sandwiches and had a picnic by the lake."
"The kids spread a blanket on the grass for their picnic."
2
Something easy or pleasant to do (informal, often used negatively).
"Moving house with three kids is no picnic."
verb
1
To have a picnic.
"They picnicked in the shade of an old oak tree."
How to Use Picnic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn outdoor meal, or (informally) something easy.
Common pairings
go on a picnic
picnic basket
no picnic
Word Forms
picnicked past tense, picnics plural, picnics singular
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We packed sandwiches and had a _____ by the lake.
Etymology
Borrowed in the 1700s from French pique-nique, a word of uncertain origin describing a meal to which guests each contributed a dish.