folklore

noun

folk·​lore ˈfōk-ˌlȯr 

1

: traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or art forms preserved among a people

Paul Bunyan is a figure from folklore.

Like its predecessor, the game draws from elements of African folklore and spiritual beliefs.

—Megan Farokhmanesh

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 

adjective

folklorish

ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ish 

adjective

folklorist

ˈfōk-ˌlȯr-ist 

noun

folkloristic

ˌfōk-ˌlȯr-ˈi-stik 

adjective

Synonyms of folklore

• mythology
• tradition
• lore

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

Hudson Williams’ next turn The next big thing in-the-making is Yaga, which features Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams alongside Carrie-Anne Moss in a witchy folklore drama set in a coastal town called Whittock. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

The film fuses horror and crime with Hong Kong spiritual folklore, and is aimed at fans of midnight movies and cult cinema. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

The park taps into the region’s old folklore, named for the legendary character said to have woken from his 20-year sleep in the Catskills. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026

In the film, the island of Nakali has many creatures inspired by Filipino folklore, and the characters casually use Tagalog words alongside English. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for folklore

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore

Kids 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

-ˌlȯr-ik

adjective

folklorist

-ˌlōr-əst 

-ˌlȯr-

noun