1
: traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or art forms preserved among a people
The coyote appears in much of Native American folklore.
Paul Bunyan is a figure from folklore.
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
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
The series draws from East Asian folklore about red threads of fate but repurposes the concept for the digital age.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
The Arabic word jinn (or djinn) influenced the modern meaning of genie—a supernatural creature from Middle Eastern folklore.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The film is about so many things: the blues, folklore, vampires, music’s intergenerational impact, and the stakes of humanity.
—Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 23 Apr. 2025
Its folklore extends to being the only NFL team that’s publicly owned while operating as a nonprofit corporation.
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folklore
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Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
The Arabic word jinn (or djinn) influenced the modern meaning of genie—a supernatural creature from Middle Eastern folklore.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The film is about so many things: the blues, folklore, vampires, music’s intergenerational impact, and the stakes of humanity.
—Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 23 Apr. 2025
Its folklore extends to being the only NFL team that’s publicly owned while operating as a nonprofit corporation.
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 23 Apr. 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 4 May. 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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