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
Traditional folklore describes Krampus as having the body of an upright goat, claw-like hands, shaggy black or brown fur covering his body, long horns coming out from his head, fangs and a gruesome humanoid face.
—Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 5 Dec. 2025
During a folklore festival in Estonia, Mahesh, an Indian dancer, and Liis, a local journalist, fall madly in love.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2025
Partnering with the Irish Department of Education, the commission asked primary school students to document the folklore in their own communities.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2025
The story draws from Filipino urban folklore, specifically a childhood ritual involving mirrors, candles and three knocks that serves as the narrative’s foundation.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folklore
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Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 5 Dec. 2025
During a folklore festival in Estonia, Mahesh, an Indian dancer, and Liis, a local journalist, fall madly in love.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2025
Partnering with the Irish Department of Education, the commission asked primary school students to document the folklore in their own communities.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2025
The story draws from Filipino urban folklore, specifically a childhood ritual involving mirrors, candles and three knocks that serves as the narrative’s foundation.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 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 7 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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