folklore

noun

folk·​lore ˈfōk-ˌlȯr 

1

: traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or art forms preserved among a people

The coyote appears in much of Native American folklore.

Paul Bunyan is a figure from folklore.

2

: a branch of knowledge that deals with folklore

a specialist in folklore

3

: an often unsupported notion, story, or saying that is widely circulated

the folklore about the health risks of computers

folkloric

ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ik 

adjective

folklorish

ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ish 

adjective

folklorist

ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ist 

noun

folkloristic

ˌfōk-ˌlȯr-ˈi-stik 

adjective

Synonyms

• mythology
• tradition
• lore

Examples of folklore in a Sentence

The coyote appears in a great deal of Native American folklore.

the rich folklore of Louisiana

He can't tell the difference between fact and folklore.

Recent Examples on the Web

His side’s 3-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in March 2019 made for a bit of modern footballing folklore, and he was permanently given the managerial position a few weeks later. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025

Through it all, the goat mayors became a mix of comedy, folklore and local pride. —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025

The name comes from local folklore, which imagined the chambers as dwellings for magical beings. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025

Stories abound in folklore of the unnatural taking the place of the natural. —Adam Verner september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for folklore

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore

Kids Definition

folklore

noun

folk·​lore ˈfōk-ˌlō(ə)r 

-ˌlȯ(ə)r

: customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings of a people handed down from generation to generation

folkloric

-ˌlȯr-ik

adjective

folklorist

-ˌlōr-əst 

-ˌlȯr-

noun