Let's Have a Picnic: Meaning, Usage, and Examples

Meaning 1：Have a picnic (Let's have a picnic)

Let's have a picnic 🔊

/lets hæv ə ˈpɪknɪk/

phr.

A friendly suggestion to go outdoors and enjoy a meal together, usually with prepared food.

Friends having a picnic on a sunny day in park

Have a picnic 🔊

➕

/hæv ə ˈpɪknɪk/

phr.

A friendly invitation to go outside and enjoy a meal together, typically with food that has been prepared and packed.

📁 Category：Entertainment & Sports 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

'Picnic' comes from French 'pique-nique' (to pick), now meaning an outdoor shared meal.

💡 Mnemonic

Red-checkered blanket, wicker basket, friends smiling — that's a picnic invitation!

📖 Example

Let's have a picnic by the lake; I'll bring sandwiches and fruit. 🔊 Let's have a picnic by the lake; I'll bring sandwiches and fruit.

🔗 Collocations

have a picnic – enjoy an outdoor meal

go on a picnic – travel to a place for an outdoor meal

pack a picnic – prepare and bring food for an outdoor meal

🔄 Synonyms

eat outdoors (phr.) – to have a meal outside

dine al fresco (phr.) – to eat in the open air

have a cookout (phr.) – to cook and eat food outdoors, often with a grill

🚫 Antonyms

dine in (phr.) – to eat at home

order takeout (phr.) – to order food from a restaurant and eat at home

🌱 Derivatives

picnic (n./v.) – an outdoor meal or the act of having one

picnicker (n.) – a person who takes part in a picnic

📖 Cultural Story

The concept of picnics emerged in 17th-century France as indoor gatherings where guests brought dishes. Today, it signifies leisure and outdoor communal dining.