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
Rooms come with a yoga mat and foam roller, and nightly turndown service is inspired by Ozark folklore, with small tokens like red string, wildflower seeds, or stones left as mementos.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2025
Dan Da Dan is known for tying a vast range of homages to Japanese pop culture into its nods to traditional folklore.
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
As a kid, she’d been terrified of the jeoseung saja of Korean folklore, Grim Reaper–esque ushers into the afterlife.
—Eliza Berman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
And some comics artists work in more unique styles, like Lisa Maria’s, which are impacted more by traditional folklore and the visual culture of the country in question.
—Literary Hub, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folklore
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Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2025
Dan Da Dan is known for tying a vast range of homages to Japanese pop culture into its nods to traditional folklore.
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
As a kid, she’d been terrified of the jeoseung saja of Korean folklore, Grim Reaper–esque ushers into the afterlife.
—Eliza Berman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
And some comics artists work in more unique styles, like Lisa Maria’s, which are impacted more by traditional folklore and the visual culture of the country in question.
—Literary Hub, 8 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 18 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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