folklore

noun

folk·​lore ˈfōk-ˌlȯr How to pronounce folklore (audio)
Synonyms of folklorenext
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
ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ik How to pronounce folklore (audio)
adjective
folklorish
ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ish How to pronounce folklore (audio)
adjective
folklorist
ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ist How to pronounce folklore (audio)
noun
folkloristic
ˌfōk-ˌlȯr-ˈi-stik How to pronounce folklore (audio)
adjective

Synonyms

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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.
For example, English folklore says that Hot Cross Buns baked on Good Friday will never spoil throughout the following year, amongst other luck-giving stories. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2025 The small town is also a hub for Albanian folklore, with traditional music performances and crafts on display. — Food Drink Life, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2025 By the time Saturday Night Live had been around for a quarter of a century, in 2000, a folklore developed among S.N.L. aspirants around the way Lorne Michaels hires people. — Susan Morrison, airmail.news, 22 Feb. 2025 But experts debunked the myth as folklore, according to Scripps Institution of Oceanography. — Jessica Botelho, Baltimore Sun, 20 Feb. 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

Rhymes for folklore

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Browse Nearby Words

folklore
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Cite this Entry

“Folklore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folklore. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

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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

Nglish: Translation of folklore for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about folklore

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