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

There will be a community potluck to wrap up the six-week program. —Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

That’s why coleslaw is such a classic—loved and devoured at cookouts, potlucks, and every kind of outdoor meal. —Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 30 Apr. 2026

There was also a potluck underway, with community potluck meals taking place across America this year as part of a national America250 initiative. —Helen Murphy, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026

Slow-cooker chicken spaghetti is the perfect potluck dish. —Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 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