picnic
UK[ˈpɪknɪk]US[ˈpɪknɪk]
n
A meal eaten outdoors, especially during an excursion to the countryside.
v
To have or eat a picnic.
Etymology
The word 'picnic' entered English in the mid-18th century from the French 'pique-nique'. The French term's own origin is somewhat obscure, but it is generally believed to be a compound formed from 'piquer' (meaning 'to pick' or 'to peck') and the nonsense rhyming syllable 'nique'. This original sense referred to a social gathering where each participant contributed a share of the food. The logic of the word's formation lies in the idea of picking at various small dishes. Over time, as the custom spread, the meaning in English specialized to focus on the outdoor aspect of the meal, while the connotation of a shared, informal feast remained central to its definition.
Analysis
The word 'picnic' is a loanword from French. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes in English that are direct substrings of the current spelling. Its components are not productively used to form other English words in a way that allows for a clear, three-part segmentation.
Examples
We packed a basket with sandwiches and fruit for a picnic in the park.
The weather was perfect, so they decided to picnic by the lake.
The company's annual picnic includes games and activities for employees' families.