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
Over centuries, his legend has stretched from folklore to Hollywood, eventually becoming a holiday staple that shows up everywhere from Claymation specials like Rudolph to animation gems like The Polar Express.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
The kallikantzaroi are a group of blind, black goblins who live underground during most of the year sawing at the world tree – a motif throughout various folklores that connects the heavens to the Earth.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
But he's lived long enough to see this folklore get created about him.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
Rooms come with a yoga mat and foam roller, and nightly turndown service is inspired by Ozark folklore, with small tokens like red string, wildflower seeds, or stones left as mementos.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folklore
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Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
The kallikantzaroi are a group of blind, black goblins who live underground during most of the year sawing at the world tree – a motif throughout various folklores that connects the heavens to the Earth.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
But he's lived long enough to see this folklore get created about him.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
Rooms come with a yoga mat and foam roller, and nightly turndown service is inspired by Ozark folklore, with small tokens like red string, wildflower seeds, or stones left as mementos.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 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 27 Dec. 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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