picnic

1 of 2

noun

pic·​nic ˈpik-(ˌ)nik 

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 picnic

—Josephine Pinckney

b

: an easy task or feat

3

: a shoulder of pork with much of the butt removed

picnicky

ˈpik-(ˌ)ni-kē 

adjective

picnic

2 of 2

verb

picnicked; picnicking

intransitive verb

: to go on a picnic : eat in picnic fashion

picnicker noun

Synonyms

Noun

• beer and skittles
• easy street
• fun and games
• hog heaven

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

Noun

Then pack a picnic lunch of French bread, cheese, and fruit—or order a meal from your favorite deli or restaurant (quiche, anyone?). —Laura Broadwell, Parents, 1 May 2025

Guests can bring coolers to the park for picnic lunches, and there’s lots of snack shacks, too, serving theme park fare like pizza, chicken tenders, funnel cakes, and soft-serve ice cream. —Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

Verb

The Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the residential 19th arrondissement is one where Parisians gather from all parts of the city and sprawl out on blankets picnicking on warm spring and summer days. —Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2025

And with spring finally here, white jean outfits are perfectly suited for commutes to-and-from the office, afternoons spent picnicking in the park, and festive post-work soirées. —Laura Jackson, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025

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

Phrases Containing picnic

• picnic table

Rhymes for picnic

• broomstick
• dipstick
• homesick
• joystick
• lipstick
• nonstick
• pickwick
• redbrick
• seasick
• sidekick
• slapstick
• toothpick

Kids Definition

picnic

1 of 2 noun

pic·​nic ˈpik-(ˌ)nik 

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