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
Hemlock takes as much inspiration from horror as from folklore and mythology.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
The werewolf tale, which began filming in the UK last fall, is set in 13th-century England and sees a mysterious creature stalk the land as local folklore becomes a terrifying reality.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026
Later this year, Fairyland will debut a puppet program inspired by Native American folklore as Metz and Miller seek to continue to diversify Fairyland’s offerings.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Created by sculptor Andy Scott, the kelpies — shape-shifting mythical creatures from Scottish folklore that live in the country's famous lochs — were completed in 2013.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
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.
Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
The werewolf tale, which began filming in the UK last fall, is set in 13th-century England and sees a mysterious creature stalk the land as local folklore becomes a terrifying reality.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026
Later this year, Fairyland will debut a puppet program inspired by Native American folklore as Metz and Miller seek to continue to diversify Fairyland’s offerings.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Created by sculptor Andy Scott, the kelpies — shape-shifting mythical creatures from Scottish folklore that live in the country's famous lochs — were completed in 2013.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folklore
Cite this Entry
“Folklore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folklore. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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
