Where the word picnic comes from is something of a mystery. When people have a picnic, they eat a meal out of doors, usually in a field or a forest. The word made it into english in england in the 18th century. It can appear in many different forms and variations for example. According to, the word picnic actually derives from the totally innocuous french word piquenique. At the time it referred to a fashionable social gathering in which each participant contributed a share of the provisions. It later spread to germany and other countries, but didnt become widely known in english until after 1800. Technical support slang term for problem in chair, not in computer.
Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, or visit the webmasters page for free fun content. Picnic was a shortening of pick a nigger and referred to an outdoor community gathering during which families ate from box lunches while a randomlychosen black man was hanged for the diners entertainment. I quickly discovered that the origins of the word picnic dated back to before the 18th century. Picnic synonyms, picnic antonyms merriamwebster thesaurus. Download word snack now and enjoy countless word puzzles for free. This allround picnic checklist will help you to plan the picnic place and organization, and will give you some ideas on picnic supplies, foods, and interesting entertainments. Synonyms for picnic basket include basket, box, creel, pannier, punnet, trug, case, container, hamper and holder. Picnic definition, an excursion or outing in which the participants carry food with them and share a meal in the open air. Joel spolsky points out that users usually do not pay full attention to the computer system while using it. The phrase for the fun of it means just for the entertainment value of doing it. A couple of months ago it was announced that the function could no longer be held because of the racist origin of the word. Get all the information you need as you write without leaving word, whether its a teammates.
Thats why we create adhoc teams of expert collaborators to offer the best talent in each case. Information about picnic in the dictionary, synonyms and antonyms. Nor can i find any racist origin of a gathering of people labeled a picnic. What is the origin of picnic my research states that picnic comes from the french word piquenique and became common in the mid 18th century. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Picnic began life as a 17thcentury french word it wasnt even close to being an american invention. Get the free oneclick dictionary software for windows or the iphoneipad and android apps noun. The concept of a picnic long retained the connotation of a meal to which everyone. Word origin in the english language, for example, indicates that this culture originated from many others. Some claim that picnic is derived from lynching parties of blacks.
Instead, the origin on the word picnic is french piquenique and was invented long before the atrocities towards blacks took place in america. Do you know these versions of the 12 days of christmas. The french root may derive from the verb piquer to peck or to pick. Sep 29, 2019 picnic humorous acronym of problem in chair, not in computer. The word comes from the french word piquenique, whose earliest usage.
Another word for opposite of meaning of rhymes with sentences with find word forms translate from english translate to english words with friends scrabble crossword codeword words starting with words ending with words containing exactly words containing letters pronounce find conjugations. Factchecking the myth that the word picnic is racist politifact. Learning where words in a language originated can tell us a lot about early influences on a society. The term is used to describe a computer user who is the cause of a computerrelated problem but insists there is a technical problem with the computer system. Definition of picnic picnicked, picnicking in the dictionary. This passage from here sums up the history of the word picnic best. Top synonyms for picnic other words for picnic are cinch, breeze and snap. Each member was expected to provide a share of the entertainment and of the refreshments, and this idea of mutual sharing or cooperation was. Ein picknick ist eine im freien eingenommene mahlzeit. The word picnic is rooted from the whole theme of pick a nigger. In this very fun word game your goal is to discover all hidden words. Jul 14, 2009 the company that i work for used to have a company picnic in the summer. Top synonym for picnic another word for picnic is cinch.
The word picnic is first seen in lord chesterfields letters to his son in 1748. For us each project is a different picnic and needs different talent. The word was borrowed from the french word picquenique. A south florida politician said that the word picnic shouldnt be used to. Picnic is a term used by it support technicians to imply that the user, not the computer hardware or software, is causing a technical problem. The other, horrible meaning of the word is found nowhere outside of that one idiotic email forward. Proper usage and audio pronunciation plus ipa phonetic transcription of the word picnic.
Coming up with a strong marketing campaign for powdered water is not going to be a picnic, gerald. Picnic microsoft word templates are ready to use and print. The way in which the idiom is used demonstrates the elusive nature of fun itself something experiential, inherently pleasant, and typically far from routine. The company that i work for used to have a company picnic in the summer.
Picnicking definition, an excursion or outing in which the participants carry food with them and share a meal in the open air. This french word piquenique signifies an outing with food similar to the words meaning in english. Although not taught in american learning institutions and literature, it is in most black history professional circles and literature that the origin of the term. A day devoted to an outdoor social gathering field day, outing. We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website, including to provide targeted advertising and track usage. This french word piquenique signifies an outing with food similar to the word s meaning in english. He suggests to compensate for this to make usable systems, thus allowing a higher percentage of users to complete tasks without errors. As for how the french came by this new term, it was likely invented by joining the common form of the verb piquer meaning to pick or peck. But they havent always been so carefree nor so bucolic. It was always a friendly self contribution event that brought everyone together. Just swipe the letters to form words and complete the puzzles. Even if ants and wasps occasionally join the fun, picnics are the very epitome of innocent pastoral delight. Picnic definition is an excursion or outing with food usually provided by members of the group and eaten in the open.
Still, most people think of picnics as extremely pleasurable, accounting for its second meaning above. The word picnic did not begin with the lynching of black americans, but the lynching of black people often occurred in picnic like settings, with crowds in attendance eating and drinking or gathering afterward for a meal. With tools at your fingertips, easily go from pen and paper to digital inking and edit intuitively. The word was originally derived from the term pickanig. Its french origin appear to be the more accepted one. It also states that the french word piquenique has an unknown origin making picnic have an unknown origin picnic. The term was used to describe a group of people dining in a restaurant who brought their own wine. Picnic checklist to do list, organizer, checklist, pim.
My research states that picnic comes from the french word piquenique and became common in the mid 18th century. Picnic was originally a 17th century french word, picquenique. Write with confidence, knowing intelligent technology can help with spelling, grammar and even stylistic writing suggestions. The picnic society was formed in london early in the 19th cent. Todays happy little word was absorbed from french piquenique and then subjected to spelling simplification. Blacks, picnics and lynchings 2004 question of the. Picnic definition of picnic by the free dictionary. The word picnic is based on the verb piquer which means pick or peck with the rhyming nique meaning thing of little importance. Interesting fact the idiom for the fun of it has its origin in the old english words fonne and fonnen, which preceded the 17th century english word fon. Picnic definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Picnic article about picnic by the free dictionary. The first usage of the word was traced to a 16th century french text, describing a group of people dining in a restaurant who brought their own wine. The french piquer may have referred to a leisurely style of eating pick at your food or it may, simply, have meant, pick pic.
We need to keep in mind that todays good word changes shape when suffixes are attached. Definition of picnic noun from the oxford advanced learners dictionary. Enjoy hours of fun gameplay and enhance your brain and spelling skills. Word origin a view of world history word origin study is a fascinating way to discover the history of language and of a people. Picnic is originally a french word, picquenique, which first appeared at the end of the seventeenth century. A reposeful repast in the open air, an outdoor meal.
Blacks, picnics and lynchings 2004 question of the month jim. The idiom for the fun of it has its origin in the old english words fonne and fonnen, which preceded the 17th century english word fon. Computer dictionary definition of what picnic problem in chair not in computer. The etymology of the word picnic does not suggest racist or racial overtones. World wide words tries to record at least a part of this shifting wordscape by featuring new words, word histories, words in the news, and the curiosities of native english speech. This is where individuals would pic a black person to lynch and make this into a family gathering. Although not taught in american learning institutions and literature, it is known in most black history professional circles and literature that the origin of the term picnic derives from the acts of lynching africanamericans. It may be used as a verb but english suffixes beginning on a vowel cannot be directly attached to a final c. It also states that the french word piquenique has an unknown origin making picnic have an unknown origin. As for how the french came by this new term, it was likely invented by joining the. Something you eat outdoors on the ground, as opposed to at a table. He says hes going to start a business selling bees as pets.
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