folklore

noun

folk·​lore ˈfōk-ˌlȯr How to pronounce folklore (audio)
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
folkloric adjective
folklorish adjective
folklorist noun
folkloristic adjective

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
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.
Drawing on Native folklore, rural isolation and all-consuming Arctic darkness, director Issa López created a sense of place that was just as fundamental to the anthology series’ season as Jodie Foster’s star power. Alison Herman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2025 The production filmed in the Argentinian city of Córdoba and is imbued with local folklore as well as Cotella’s childhood memories. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025 In West Virginia, the mountains are rich with folklore and dotted with sites time has left behind. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025 The film, an epic fantasy inspired by Congolese folklore, hails from N LITE, producer-distributor powerhouse GKIDS (Boy and the Heron), Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions and legendary anime producer Masao Maruyama (Tokyo Godfathers). Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for folklore

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of folklore was in 1846

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Cite this Entry

“Folklore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folklore. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

folklore

noun
folk·​lore ˈfōk-ˌlō(ə)r How to pronounce folklore (audio)
-ˌlȯ(ə)r
: customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings of a people handed down from generation to generation
folkloric
-ˌlȯr-ik
adjective
folklorist
-ˌlōr-əst How to pronounce folklore (audio)
-ˌlȯr-
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on folklore

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