folk

[ fohk ]

noun

1. Usually folks. (used with a plural verb) people in general:

   Folks say there wasn't much rain last summer.

2. Often folks. (used with a plural verb) people of a specified class or group:

   country folk; poor folks.

3. (used with a plural verb) people as the carriers of culture, especially as representing the composite of social mores, customs, forms of behavior, etc., in a society:

   The folk are the bearers of oral tradition.

4. folks, Informal.
   1. members of one's family; one's relatives:

      All his folks come from France.

   2. one's parents:

      Will your folks let you go?

   Synonyms: tribe, clan, people, kin, kinfolk

5. Archaic. a people or tribe.

adjective

1. of or originating among the common people:

   folk beliefs; a folk hero.

2. having unknown origins and reflecting the traditional forms of a society:

   folk culture; folk art.

folk

/ fəʊk /

noun

1. functioning as plural; often plural in form people in general, esp those of a particular group or class

   country folk

2. informal.
   functioning as plural; usually plural in form members of a family
3. informal.
   functioning as singular short for folk music
4. a people or tribe
5. modifier relating to, originating from, or traditional to the common people of a country

   a folk song

Derived Forms

• ˈfolkish, adjective
• ˈfolkishness, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of folk¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English folc; cognate with Old Saxon, Old Norse folk, Old High German folk ( German Volk )

Word History and Origins

Origin of folk¹

Old English folc ; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse, Old High German folk

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. just folks, Informal. (of persons) simple, unaffected, unsophisticated, or open-hearted people:

   He enjoyed visiting his grandparents because they were just folks.

More idioms and phrases containing folk

see just folks .

Example Sentences

Then, when folks come back around, you all lean back into it again.

From Salon

You can feel that whether it just be from the workers, from folks at home who are like, “There’s not as many movies or many blockbusters as I’m used to.”

From Los Angeles Times

He also wanted the same musicians’ fingerprints on each song, even though they hop from nouveau dub to R&B ballad to folk.

From Los Angeles Times

“When you get yourself in the dating world at our age, you either have the angry divorced folks, or you have the widows who are grieving,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

I’ve written about how CARB’s actions too often come off as pie-in-the-sky wokery that doesn’t seem to consider how working-class folks might be able to afford living in a purified paradise.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• community
• family
• group
• people
• public