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
Synonyms
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
Thankfully, much of that folklore and leech-keeping has given way to modern forecasting algorithms, radar, and satellite imagery over time—but not everyone is willing to leave the old methods behind.
—
Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 7 Nov. 2024
Their aim in collecting such folklore—alongside the fairy tales, the Grimms published legends, songs, myths—was to create a cohesive national identity for German speakers.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
But are vultures the black birds of death and negativity they’re made out to be in folklore and legend?
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2024
Archaeologists have discovered traces of silk farming dating to 5,000 years ago, providing forensic proof to the story, in Chinese folklore and the writings of Confucius, that Empress Leizu, also known as Xi Ling-shi, developed the cultivation of this valuable commodity around 3,000 BCE.
—Emi Eleode, ARTnews.com, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for folklore 
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Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 7 Nov. 2024
Their aim in collecting such folklore—alongside the fairy tales, the Grimms published legends, songs, myths—was to create a cohesive national identity for German speakers.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
But are vultures the black birds of death and negativity they’re made out to be in folklore and legend?
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2024
Archaeologists have discovered traces of silk farming dating to 5,000 years ago, providing forensic proof to the story, in Chinese folklore and the writings of Confucius, that Empress Leizu, also known as Xi Ling-shi, developed the cultivation of this valuable commodity around 3,000 BCE.
—Emi Eleode, ARTnews.com, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for folklore
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Dictionary Entries Near folklore
Cite this Entry
“Folklore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folklore. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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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