potluck

noun

pot·​luck ˈpät-ˈlək 

 sense 1b also  -ˌlək

1

a

: the regular meal available to a guest for whom no special preparations have been made

b

: a communal meal to which people bring food to share

—usually used attributively

a potluck supper

2

: whatever is offered or available in given circumstances or at a given time

Examples of potluck in a Sentence

He organized a neighborhood potluck for next Saturday.

Recent Examples on the Web

Also potluck lunch, socializing, fossil hunting and camping. —Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Dec. 2024

Perhaps one of the most beloved events, though, is the annual holiday potluck. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2024

Make the meal a potluck Inviting guests to bring their own dishes to share is an easy and fun way to host a Thanksgiving meal, says Amanda Christensen, an accredited financial counselor and extension professor at Utah State University. —Nerdwallet, The Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2024

Off to the sides, there's a table for potluck dishes and an open bar. —Robert Benincasa, NPR, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

potluck

noun

pot·​luck ˈpät-ˈlək 

1

a

: a regular meal for which no special preparations have been made

b

: a meal to which people bring food to share

2

: whatever is offered or available in given circumstances or at a given time