folk song
noun
: a traditional or composed song typically characterized by stanzaic form, refrain, and simplicity of melody
Examples of folk song in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By reinterpreting traditional folk songs, Blount not only refreshes their meanings but also initiates critical discussions on contemporary issues.
—
David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2024
Madoka teaches at Madoka no Kai Japanese traditional folk song school in Osaka, Japan.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024
By one estimate, there are 6,000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, 550 in Lake Superior alone, including the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank in 1975 and is immortalized in a folk song by Gordon Lightfoot.
—Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 13 Feb. 2024
Rodríguez’s score uses mariachi-style orchestrations, classical opera and hints of Mexican folk songs for a musical reflection of Frida.
—Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2024
The burning is accompanied by folk songs and dancing, according to local media.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2023
The Vietnamese variety show will feature musical performances, traditional folk songs, and sketch comedy by popular singers including Hồng Ngọc and Mạnh Quỳnh.
—Brendel Hightower, Detroit Free Press, 9 Feb. 2024
And Kahan — a gifted songwriter whose introspective folk songs contain a pop sensibility, so that his top 40-ready anthems still contain a sense of time and place — has served as the perfect emblem of that place.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 21 Feb. 2024
Some folk songs literally refer to the sun as an egg.
—Hazlitt, 14 Feb. 2024
David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2024
Madoka teaches at Madoka no Kai Japanese traditional folk song school in Osaka, Japan.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024
By one estimate, there are 6,000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, 550 in Lake Superior alone, including the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank in 1975 and is immortalized in a folk song by Gordon Lightfoot.
—Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 13 Feb. 2024
Rodríguez’s score uses mariachi-style orchestrations, classical opera and hints of Mexican folk songs for a musical reflection of Frida.
—Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2024
The burning is accompanied by folk songs and dancing, according to local media.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2023
The Vietnamese variety show will feature musical performances, traditional folk songs, and sketch comedy by popular singers including Hồng Ngọc and Mạnh Quỳnh.
—Brendel Hightower, Detroit Free Press, 9 Feb. 2024
And Kahan — a gifted songwriter whose introspective folk songs contain a pop sensibility, so that his top 40-ready anthems still contain a sense of time and place — has served as the perfect emblem of that place.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 21 Feb. 2024
Some folk songs literally refer to the sun as an egg.
—Hazlitt, 14 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'folk song.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1843, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near folk song
Cite this Entry
“Folk song.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folk%20song. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
folk song
noun
: a traditional or composed song typically having stanzas, a refrain, and a simple melody
More from Merriam-Webster on folk song
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for folk song
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about folk song
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