Smorgasbord vs. Potluck — What's the Difference?

A buffet meal featuring a varied number of dishes.

A potluck is a communal gathering where each guest or group contributes a different, often homemade, dish of food to be shared. Other names for a "potluck" include: potluck dinner, pitch-in, shared lunch, spread, faith supper, carry-in dinner, covered-dish-supper, fuddle, Jacob's Join, and fellowship meal.

A varied collection

Whatever food happens to be available for a meal, especially when offered to a guest

A Swedish-style buffet comprising a variety of cold sandwiches and other dishes; (by extension) any buffet with a wide selection of dishes.

A meal at which each guest brings food that is then shared by all. Also called potluck supper.

(figuratively) An abundant and diverse collection of things.

Whatever is available at a particular time

A collection containing a variety of sorts of things;

(dated) A meal, especially one offered to a guest, consisting of whatever food is available.

An assortment of foods starting with herring or smoked eel or salmon etc with bread and butter; then cheeses and eggs and pickled vegetables and aspics; finally hot foods; served as a buffet meal

(by extension) Whatever is available in a particular situation.

A shared meal consisting of whatever guests have brought (sometimes without prior arrangement); a potlatch; also, a dish of food brought to such a meal.

(obsolete) The last draft or portion of an alcoholic beverage in a pot or other drinking vessel.

(intransitive) To take part in a potluck, where each participant brings a meal to be shared by all.

Whatever may chance to be in the pot, or may be provided for a meal.

Whatever happens to be available especially when offered to an unexpected guest or when brought by guests and shared by all;