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

Why Folks Love Our Jalapeño-Cheddar Cornbread The reasons people love this recipe are as bountiful as 9x13 Pyrexes at a potluck. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025

Or enlist your friends to bring an alcohol and an anju each, potluck-style (and take some of the pressure off yourself). —Irene Yoo september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025

There are also monthly lunch and dinners at restaurants, potluck picnics and dinner/dance parties with live music. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025

These fall potluck recipes will keep your healthy eating goals intact, even at a tailgate or fall party. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 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