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

If one relative always made Christmas dinner, this year’s gathering may shift to a potluck, a smaller meal or a new host, a change the Hospice Foundation of America describes as a form of compromise rather than abandonment. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Place one at each dinner setting with a handwritten guest name for a playful holiday tablescape, or use them at a potluck to identify dishes. — Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2026

These easy-to-make and easy-to-take potluck casseroles will be enjoyed by church members of all ages, and you’ll be asked to make them again and again. — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2026

For example, coordinating a big potluck for your book club or making a complicated dish for that dinner party on Saturday. — Margaret Cirino, NPR, 23 Oct. 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