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
There's more to the picnic than just massive amounts of barbecue and family activities. Hannah Pinski, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 July 2025 Pack a picnic lunch or grab one of the city's best lobster rolls from Bite Into Maine. Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2025
Verb
Then, visit the city’s crowning jewels from Chester Cathedral to its Roman amphitheatre, Chester Zoo, and leafy Grosvenor Park where families picnic under ancient trees beside the meandering River Dee. Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 The latter has dreamy overwater bungalows, its own private island that couples can picnic on, and the Likuliku Lagoon, where guests can reserve custom experiences. Sarah Farag, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Picnic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/picnic. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

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

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