Synonyms of lore
1
: a particular body of knowledge or tradition
the lore of baseball heroes
2
: something that is learned:
a
: traditional knowledge or belief
tribal lore
b
: knowledge gained through study or experience
the lore of religious architecture
3
archaic : something that is taught : lesson

lore

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the space between the eye and bill in a bird or the corresponding region in a reptile or fish
—usually plural
dark lores

Examples of lore in a Sentence

Noun (1) the home gardener had acquired her herbal lore from many years of trial and error set out to study the rich lore of the Cajun people of Louisiana before it all vanished
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.
Noun
Those are anthology series, however, and one season doesn’t necessarily flow directly from the previous one (the large pile-up of AHS lore aside). — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026 Now, the song’s goosebump-inducing bridge and juicy lore have captivated a new generation of fans, leading to steady streaming gains over the past three months. — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026 Despite such disrepute for its lore, the Courtposite was still brought back by Supreme for a collaboration last fall. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026 The pull of the scandalous Spencer lore is simply too much for the tabloids to resist. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lore

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English lār; akin to Old High German lēra doctrine, Old English leornian to learn

Noun (2)

New Latin lorum, from Latin, thong, rein; akin to Greek eulēra reins

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun (2)

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lore was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lore. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

lore

noun
ˈlō(ə)r, 
ˈlȯ(ə)r
: knowledge sense 1
especially : a particular body of knowledge or tradition
forest lore
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