Pickup

Pickup is a term with multiple meanings across different domains. In transportation, a pickup refers to a pickup truck, a light-duty vehicle with an open cargo bed behind the cab. The design originated in the United States in the early 20th century and has become common worldwide for personal, agricultural, construction, and commercial use. The term can also describe the act of collecting goods or passengers, as in pickup service.

In music and electronics, a pickup is a transducer that converts mechanical movement into an electrical signal. The most familiar are guitar pickups, which use magnets and coils to sense string vibrations. Pickups can be passive or active, and variations include single-coil and humbucker designs. In audio and turntable technology, a phonograph or record player pickup (stylus and cartridge) reads grooves to reproduce sound.

In social contexts, a pickup line is an attempt to start romantic or social interaction. A pickup artist is a person who studies and applies methods to attract others; discussions about effectiveness and ethics are common.

In logistics and commerce, pickup refers to the collection of goods by a carrier or customer, such as a pickup location for orders or the pickup and delivery service offered by retailers.

In informal use, a pickup game is a spontaneous or casual sport session.