lore

1 of 2

noun (1)

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 used in plural
dark lores
loreal adjective

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
According to Mexican lore about how poinsettias became a Christmas flower, a child named Pepita was too poor to bring a gift to decorate the church for Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Nov. 2024 His lore has thus expanded in classes and group discussions over the past two years. Brennan Stewart, Baltimore Sun, 29 Nov. 2024 Her disappearance is one of the most tantalizing mysteries in aviation lore, fascinating historians for decades and spawning books, movies and theories galore. CBS News, 26 Nov. 2024 Our sandbox here was all the Christmas lore throughout the history of mankind, and beyond that, Lucy Liu’s character, Zoe, is the director of this group called M.O.R.A. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near lore

Cite this Entry

“Lore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lore. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

lore

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

More from Merriam-Webster on lore

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