Informal meal arrangement among friends or colleagues in which each contributes a dish, generally within prescribed American food categories like appetizer, main dish or casserole, salad, dessert, etc. The host/hostess provides the basic materials and setting— in one variation, however, participants move from house to house, course by course. As larger collective events, potlucks can be used to promote social relations in schools, workplaces or churches as well as to raise money for community events. While emphasizing solidarity they also permit competition in quality and display among participants. To “just take potluck”—essentially whatever is left—suggests drawbacks of the arrangement.