Definition

Noun: 1. A meal, especially a communal one, to which guests each contribute a different, often homemade, dish of food. The food is shared by all attendees, and what is available depends on what each person brings. 2. Whatever is available or offered, especially when accepted without prior knowledge or choice. This meaning extends the idea to accepting an unknown or unplanned situation.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Communal Meal):
  • The office is having a potluck on Friday; I'm bringing a salad.
  • We decided on a potluck dinner so everyone could share their favorite recipes.
• Noun (Whatever is Available):
  • We didn't make a reservation, so we'll have to take potluck at the restaurant.
  • When you travel without a plan, you take potluck with accommodation.

Advanced Usage

• "Potluck supper/dinner/lunch": This is a very common phrase specifying the type of meal. The word "supper" is often used interchangeably with "dinner" in this context.
  • The community center is hosting a potluck supper to celebrate the harvest.
• "To take potluck": This idiom means to accept whatever is available, often because there is no other choice or plan.
  • All the best hotels were booked, so we took potluck at a small guesthouse.

Variants and Related Words

• Potluck-style (adj./adv.): Describes an event organized as a potluck, or the manner in which food is served.
  • The party is potluck-style, so please bring a dish to share.
  • The food was laid out potluck-style on a long table.

Synonyms

• Bring-and-share (meal): (Chiefly British) A meal to which guests bring food to share.
• Smorgasbord / Buffet: A meal consisting of a variety of dishes from which guests serve themselves. (Note: These imply the food is provided by a host, not brought by guests).
• Luck of the draw: An idiom for an outcome based on chance, similar to "take potluck."

Related Idioms

• "Take potluck": As detailed above, to accept an unknown or random offering.
  • I'm not sure what's on the menu tonight; we'll just have to take potluck.

Noun

1. whatever happens to be available especially when offered to an unexpected guest or when brought by guests and shared by all
   • having arrived unannounced we had to take potluck
   • a potluck supper