1
: traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or art forms preserved among a people
Paul Bunyan is a figure from folklore.
Like its predecessor, the game draws from elements of African folklore and spiritual beliefs.—
Megan Farokhmanesh
Megan Farokhmanesh2
: 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
While the Kodoku tournament never actually happened, it is named after a Japanese folklore ritual in which several bugs are placed in a jar and kill each other until one insect survives, per Tudum.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 Nov. 2025
Its name is derived from Japanese folklore, specifically a ritual in which insects fight to the death after being sealed in a jar.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
Labubu was part of Lung’s story series The Monsters, which was inspired by Nordic folklore.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025
Bigfoot is a mythical humanoid creature said to inhabit woodlands in North American folklore, per the Arizona State Museum.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folklore
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Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 Nov. 2025
Its name is derived from Japanese folklore, specifically a ritual in which insects fight to the death after being sealed in a jar.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
Labubu was part of Lung’s story series The Monsters, which was inspired by Nordic folklore.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025
Bigfoot is a mythical humanoid creature said to inhabit woodlands in North American folklore, per the Arizona State Museum.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 14 Nov. 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 24 Nov. 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
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