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

In fact, doubling a recipe is a great way to stretch your meal prep to cover multiple dinners, share with a new mom, or have a ready-to-go dish on hand for your next potluck. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025

When combined with cream, sour cream, and cheese—and topped with buttery golden cornflakes— hash brown potatoes transform into the most magical potluck casserole ever created. —Jessica Saari Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Dec. 2025

The recipe yielded four heaping servings that would honestly go a lot further at a potluck. —Brittany Loggins, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Dec. 2025

Looking for the perfect item to bring to the office holiday potluck? —Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for potluck

• amok
• amuck
• awestruck
• dumbstruck
• roebuck
• unstuck
• woodchuck
• chuck
• cluck
• duck
• huck
• luck

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