folklore

noun

folk·​lore ˈfōk-ˌlȯr How to pronounce folklore (audio)
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 adjective
folklorish adjective
folklorist noun
folkloristic adjective

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 Some have their foundations in mythology and astrology, some in legend and folklore. Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 An Elusive American Artist: Joan Jonas’s maximalist, category-defying work combines video, performance, folklore, sculpture and ecology. Esther Choi, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Combining centuries-old Jewish folklore with the then-new medium of cinema, Paul Wegener and Carl Boese’s pioneering horror film draws its inspiration from a legend about a life-sized clay figure — a golem — that came to life to protect the Jews of Prague. Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 The film plays with his fascination with texture, sound and folklore. Callum McLennan, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 The newest brewery in Sacramento threads beer and folklore with an affordable price tag. Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 Frogman Festival Celebrating the mythical Loveland Frogman, this festival boasts more than 50 unique vendors, circus sideshows and speakers specializing in cryptids, the paranormal, unexplained phenomena, folklore, UFOs and more. Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 28 Feb. 2024 When asked to describe the series, Kim told Netflix this is an epic fantasy set in a world inspired by Asian and Indigenous folklore, culture, and legend. Dana Feldman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 On the latest tally, published Friday, Feb. 23, Swift rules with Midnights, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Lover, folklore (all via Universal), and reputation (Big Machine/Universal), respectively. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'folklore.' 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

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of folklore was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near folklore

Cite this Entry

“Folklore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folklore. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

folklore

noun
folk·​lore ˈfōk-ˌlō(ə)r How to pronounce folklore (audio)
-ˌlȯ(ə)r
: customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings of a people handed down from generation to generation
folklorist
-ˌlōr-əst How to pronounce folklore (audio)
-ˌlȯr-
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on folklore

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