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
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
Eye of the Storm South of Midnight follows Hazel, a teenage track star caught between reality and folklore after their mother’s home is swept away during a hurricane.
—
Sarah Thwaites, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2025
However, Hazel’s spirit quest soon takes her into a fantastical Southern Gothic fantasy realm where the region's various myths and folklore suddenly come to life.
—PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
The wood is considered an iconic place, known not only for its collection of rare species of mosses and lichens only found within two small, wooded areas, but it is also embedded in the history, folklore and mythology of the area.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025
The comment was truly etched into Liverpool folklore when popular fan podcast The Anfield Wrap commissioned a three-storey mural featuring Alexander-Arnold’s quote on the side of a red-brick housing block around the corner from Anfield.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folklore
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Sarah Thwaites, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2025
However, Hazel’s spirit quest soon takes her into a fantastical Southern Gothic fantasy realm where the region's various myths and folklore suddenly come to life.
—PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
The wood is considered an iconic place, known not only for its collection of rare species of mosses and lichens only found within two small, wooded areas, but it is also embedded in the history, folklore and mythology of the area.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025
The comment was truly etched into Liverpool folklore when popular fan podcast The Anfield Wrap commissioned a three-storey mural featuring Alexander-Arnold’s quote on the side of a red-brick housing block around the corner from Anfield.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 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 10 Apr. 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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