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
The memoir includes lovely illustrations by Denise Nestor and many fascinating details about hares which Dalton draws from natural history, folklore, art, and literature.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 May 2025
According to local folklore, there are about 365 drumlin islands in the Irish site, one for every day of the year.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Movies steeped in fantasy and existing or newly hatched folklore can whip up anything and everything, usually digitally, which often erases half of the potential visual magic.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025
The show, aimed at 4-8s, follows the adventures of two imaginative siblings who stumble upon VR headsets that take them to Storyland, a world built on iconic stories from Indian mythology and folklore.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folklore
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The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 May 2025
According to local folklore, there are about 365 drumlin islands in the Irish site, one for every day of the year.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Movies steeped in fantasy and existing or newly hatched folklore can whip up anything and everything, usually digitally, which often erases half of the potential visual magic.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025
The show, aimed at 4-8s, follows the adventures of two imaginative siblings who stumble upon VR headsets that take them to Storyland, a world built on iconic stories from Indian mythology and folklore.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 Apr. 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 18 May. 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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