: a characteristically anonymous, timeless, and placeless tale circulated orally among a people
Examples of folktale in a Sentence
West African folktales that continue to be passed from generation to generation through storytelling.
Recent Examples on the Web
Traditionally played on string instruments like the dulcimer, fiddle, and banjo, this distinctly twangy genre passed down religious hymns, ballads, and folktales through generations.
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Hillary Richard, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026
Comprising more than 300 folktales and legends from northern Norway, including many from the coastal Sámi and the Skolt Sámi of eastern Finland, this anthology shares narratives told by fishers, farmers, reindeer herders, lay preachers and teachers.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
This ecology is woven into our folktales and culture.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
John Swansburg revisits the country’s founding folktale.
—Andrew Aoyama, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
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Hillary Richard, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026
Comprising more than 300 folktales and legends from northern Norway, including many from the coastal Sámi and the Skolt Sámi of eastern Finland, this anthology shares narratives told by fishers, farmers, reindeer herders, lay preachers and teachers.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
This ecology is woven into our folktales and culture.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
John Swansburg revisits the country’s founding folktale.
—Andrew Aoyama, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folktale
Cite this Entry
“Folktale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folktale. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
folktale
noun
folk·tale
-ˌtāl 
: a story made up and handed down by the common people
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