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
Megan Farokhmanesh2
: 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
With a wingspan stretching over two meters, legs as thick as a child’s wrist and talons larger than a grizzly bear’s claws, the harpy eagle has become the subject of rainforest folklore across Central and South America.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Saint-Tropez’s status as a center of gravity for pop-culture folklore isn’t set to wane any time soon.
—Nick Scott, Robb Report, 17 May 2026
Over the years, companion plant recommendations were based mostly on folklore and personal experiences.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2026
The creature-feature horror film plunges into the jungles of the Dominican Republic, where a group of road workers battling brutal conditions encounter the Ciguapa — a terrifying figure from local folklore with backward feet and the power to possess men through her gaze.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for folklore
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Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Saint-Tropez’s status as a center of gravity for pop-culture folklore isn’t set to wane any time soon.
—Nick Scott, Robb Report, 17 May 2026
Over the years, companion plant recommendations were based mostly on folklore and personal experiences.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2026
The creature-feature horror film plunges into the jungles of the Dominican Republic, where a group of road workers battling brutal conditions encounter the Ciguapa — a terrifying figure from local folklore with backward feet and the power to possess men through her gaze.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for folklore
Cite this Entry
“Folklore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folklore. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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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