folklore

1 of 2

noun (1)

folk·​lore ˈfōk-ˌlȯr 

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

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

ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ik 

adjective

folklorish

ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ish 

adjective

folklorist

ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ist 

noun

folkloristic

ˌfōk-ˌlȯr-ˈi-stik 

adjective

folklorist

2 of 2

noun (2)

folk·​lor·​ist -rə̇st 

plural -s

: a student of folklore

folkloristic

¦⸗ˌ⸗¦istik 

-tēk

adjective

Synonyms of folklore

Noun (1)

• mythology
• tradition
• lore

Examples of folklore in a Sentence

Noun (1)

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

Noun

That car became a rally staple, training a generation of drivers, including the French legend Jean Ragnotti, and stamping its double white stripe into motorsport folklore. — New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2026

To their credit, several of them clearly took a great interest in learning basic Greenlandic words, facts, and folklore, and were eager to share. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

In traditional Han folklore, the baiji was the Goddess of the Yangtze. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

Innovative methodologies, including demography and quantitative analysis, folklore, material culture, oral history, and family reconstitution opened new windows into the past. — Drew Gilpin Faust, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for folklore

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore

Kids 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

-ˌlȯr-ik

adjective

folklorist

-ˌlōr-əst 

-ˌlȯr-

noun