potluck means A meal, especially one offered to a guest, consisting of whatever food is available. It carries an Arena rating of 1589, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, potluck ranks #182 of 14,451 for Most Whimsical Words, #242 of 14,308 for Most Malleable Words, #677 of 14,414 for Most Elegant Words, #880 of 14,297 for Words That Escaped Their Books.
potluck is pronounced /ˌpɒtˈlʌk/.
Why “potluck” is a great word
A communal meal to which each guest contributes a dish, representing whatever is available without special preparation. From pot ("a cooking vessel") + luck ("fortune, chance"), originally referring to the chance of what food might be available in the shared pot for an unexpected guest; first attested in the 16th century. Unlike a banquet, which is a formal, orchestrated feast, or a potlatch, a ceremony of competitive, host-borne generosity, a potluck is a modest, democratic assembly of disparate offerings. It is the jostle of mismatched casserole dishes on a crowded counter, the surprising alchemy of a dozen unrelated desserts, and the tangible, edible proof of a community’s varied hands—a quiet faith that what is brought and shared will, by chance and combination, become enough.
Etymology
From pot + luck. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, sense 3 (“a shared meal consisting of whatever guests have brought”) is unlikely to have been influenced by potlatch.
noun
- A meal, especially one offered to a guest, consisting of whatever food is available.e.g.“Here are some leftover beans and meat; we can make a good potluck stew from them.”
- Whatever is available in a particular situation.
- A shared meal consisting of whatever guests have brought (sometimes without prior arrangement); a potlatch; also, a dish of food brought to such a meal.
- The last draft or portion of an alcoholic beverage in a pot or other drinking vessel.
verb
- To take part in a potluck, where each participant brings a meal to be shared by all.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- smorgasbord 83% match — A Swedish-style buffet comprising a variety of cold sandwiches and other dishes; (by extension) any buffet with a wide selection of dishes. vs potluck →
- repast 82% match — A meal. vs potluck →
- convivial 81% match — Having elements of a feast or of entertainment, especially when it comes to eating and drinking, with accompanying festivity vs potluck →
- hootenanny 81% match — An informal, festive performance by folk singers, often including audience participation with the use of acoustic instruments. vs potluck →
- hospitality 81% match — The act or service of welcoming, receiving, hosting, or entertaining guests; an appropriate attitude of openness, respect, and generosity toward guests. vs potluck →
- fiesta 81% match — A religious festival. vs potluck →
- cuisine 81% match — A characteristic manner or style of preparing food, often associated with a place of origin. vs potluck →
- conviviality 81% match — The state of being convivial; a feeling of comfort and happiness, as from celebrating casually with friends. vs potluck →