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

This is a great recipe to have on hand for a potluck, a school bake sale, or to bring to new neighbors. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026

Opt for a potluck or trivia night instead of a watch party. —Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026

Then potlucks with an open mic. —Mika Ellison, NPR, 18 Feb. 2026

In Grambling, almost all the residents were Black and social life seemed slower and more grounded: church potlucks, crawfish boils and small-town festivals – not beach parties and fancy gatherings. —Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026

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