lore

1 of 2

noun (1)

Synonyms of lorenext
1
: a particular body of knowledge or tradition
the lore of baseball heroes
2
: something that is learned:
a
: traditional knowledge or belief
tribal lore
b
: knowledge gained through study or experience
the lore of religious architecture
3
archaic : something that is taught : lesson

lore

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the space between the eye and bill in a bird or the corresponding region in a reptile or fish
usually used in plural
dark lores
loreal adjective

Examples of lore in a Sentence

Noun (1) the home gardener had acquired her herbal lore from many years of trial and error set out to study the rich lore of the Cajun people of Louisiana before it all vanished
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
At this late stage in a megafranchise’s life cycle, the gravitational pull is usually toward bloat and deep lore — an inward-facing sensibility that caters to the most esoteric fans and risks alienating everyone else, including more casual viewers who genuinely like the thing. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026 For centuries, their remains lay hidden, half-remembered in texts, legends, or local lore. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 Jan. 2026 Now enthusiasts can add government and commercial communications satellites to the lore. Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2026 But there is nothing that lives on in Nets lore quite like this deal. The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lore

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English lār; akin to Old High German lēra doctrine, Old English leornian to learn

Noun (2)

New Latin lorum, from Latin, thong, rein; akin to Greek eulēra reins

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun (2)

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lore was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lore. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

lore

noun
ˈlō(ə)r
ˈlȯ(ə)r
: knowledge sense 1
especially : a particular body of knowledge or tradition
forest lore

More from Merriam-Webster on lore

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