folktale

noun

folk·​tale ˈfōk-ˌtāl How to pronounce folktale (audio)
: a characteristically anonymous, timeless, and placeless tale circulated orally among a people

Examples of folktale in a Sentence

West African folktales that continue to be passed from generation to generation through storytelling.
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.
Based on a Mexican folktale, La Llorona is also on-brand for The Conjuring–verse. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025 The centuries-old Macedonian folktale that shapes the doc involves a farmer’s son, Silyan, who’s caught between two worlds after his angry father’s curse turns him into a stork. Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025 From causing supernatural events to creating hysteria, our orbiting nightlight has always had legends and folktales written about it. Taylor Grothe, Parents, 27 Aug. 2025 His work includes Tokyo Cancelled (2005), a collection of contemporary folktales, and a novel, Solo (2009), which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (2010). Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for folktale

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of folktale was in 1850

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Folktale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folktale. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

folktale

noun
folk·​tale -ˌtāl How to pronounce folktale (audio)
: a story made up and handed down by the common people

More from Merriam-Webster on folktale

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!