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

In her last pic, Olivia Rodrigo holds the same picnic basket while cheesing for the camera in a plunging red one-piece bathing suit and a grey baseball cap, keeping her pigtail braids in tact underneath. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 22 Feb. 2025

Highland Faith Church Highland: 8910 Grace St. — Faith Church Highland will have an indoor picnic from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 23. —Christin Lazerus, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025

Verb

The Bowl lineup has plenty of headliners to picnic with, including John Legend, Cyndi Lauper, John Fogerty, Josh Groban, Charlie Wilson, the Alabama Shakes, Rick Springfield and Diana Ross. —Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2025

Plane-spotting is even a popular hobby among locals, who picnic and throw Frisbees at Gravelly Point Park, a grassy expanse just a few hundred feet from the airport’s runways. —Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 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