lore

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈlȯr 

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

ˈlȯr-ē-əl 

adjective

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• knowledge
• science
• wisdom

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

Noun

Our knowledgeable guide relays lore about filming — for example, Jack Nicholson was almost cast as the loveably grumpy dad instead of Darren McGavin — in a confident and casual tone. —Annie Zaleski, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Dec. 2024

Hill infamously earned a spot in 49ers’ lore with a 44-yard reception on third-and-15 to spark the Chiefs’ fourth-quarter comeback five seasons ago on this field in the Super Bowl. —Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2024

The matchup in Hartford will give the country a peek into the WNBA’s future, creating lore that the star duo can carry into the pros. —Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 21 Dec. 2024

The show has already gotten its fair share of criticism for its use of certain source material (some Frank Herbert purists consider the Brian Herbert prequels noncanonical) and for its depiction of some parts of the lore. —Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2024

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

Kids Definition

lore

noun

ˈlō(ə)r,

ˈlȯ(ə)r

: knowledge sense 1

especially : a particular body of knowledge or tradition

forest lore