picnic
English
Alternative forms
- picknick (archaic)
Etymology
Borrowed from French pique-nique.
Pronunciation
- enPR: pĭkʹ-nĭk, IPA(key): /ˈpɪknɪk/
- Rhymes: -ɪknɪk
- Hyphenation: pic‧nic
Noun
picnic (plural picnics)
- An informal social gathering, usually in a natural outdoor setting, to which the participants bring their own food and drink.
- We went out for a picnic in the forest.
- The meal eaten at such a gathering.
- (figuratively) An easy or pleasant task.
- Synonym: piece of cake
- We remind the guests that dealing with this problem is no picnic, and to be patient.
- 1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind
- "Don't put your hand on me," said Uncle Henry irritably. "I'm crawling with lice. War would be a picnic if it wasn't for lice and dysentery. […]
- (obsolete) An entertainment at which each person contributed some dish to a common table.
Derived terms
Derived terms
- picnic basket
- picnic box
- picnicker
- picnic sheet
- picnic table
Translations
social gathering
a meal eaten outdoors
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an easy or pleasant task
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See also
Verb
picnic (third-person singular simple present picnics, present participle picnicking, simple past and past participle picnicked)
- To eat a picnic.
Italian
Etymology
Borrowed from English picnic, from French pique-nique.
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from English picnic, from French pique-nique.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /piɡˈniɡ/, [piɣˈniɣ]
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