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
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
Skinwalkers Skinwalkers are a central figure in Navajo folklore.
—
Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Stoker’s research on Transylvanian folklore is primarily from Emily Gerard, whose work has continued to be a mainstay of English-language Transylvanian lore to this day.
—Robert Eggers, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Its blend of Korean folklore, witty humor, and irresistibly infectious pop songs has cemented it as an instant classic.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 17 Oct. 2025
Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and showrun by Amar Kaushik, the film extends the franchise’s mythology while introducing new folklore, humor and emotional depth.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folklore
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.
Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Stoker’s research on Transylvanian folklore is primarily from Emily Gerard, whose work has continued to be a mainstay of English-language Transylvanian lore to this day.
—Robert Eggers, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Its blend of Korean folklore, witty humor, and irresistibly infectious pop songs has cemented it as an instant classic.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 17 Oct. 2025
Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and showrun by Amar Kaushik, the film extends the franchise’s mythology while introducing new folklore, humor and emotional depth.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folklore
Cite this Entry
“Folklore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folklore. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
adjective
-ˌlȯr-ik
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share