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
Cast a line off the fishing pier, launch a canoe, or pack a picnic to enjoy under a pavilion. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2024 And, finally, the once-daily Changi Precinct Tour (10 a.m.) focuses on the hidden gems of the residential town just outside the airport, with 30-minute stopovers in Tampines Central Park and Changi Beach Park, a sandy spot for picnics and plane-spotting. Ashlea Halpern, AFAR Media, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
They are protected by state law as well as the Department of Natural Resources rules that prohibit visitors from walking over or picnicking on burial mounds. Vanessa Swales, Journal Sentinel, 16 Oct. 2024 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 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 22 Dec. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!