folklore

[ fohk-lawr, -lohr ]

noun

1. the traditional beliefs, legends, customs, etc., of a people; lore of a people.
2. the study of such lore.
3. a body of widely held but false or unsubstantiated beliefs.

folklore

/ ˈfəʊkˌlɔː /

noun

1. the unwritten literature of a people as expressed in folk tales, proverbs, riddles, songs, etc
2. the body of stories and legends attached to a particular place, group, activity, etc

   rugby folklore

   Hollywood folklore

3. the anthropological discipline concerned with the study of folkloric materials

folklore

1. Traditional stories and legends, transmitted orally (rather than in writing) from generation to generation. The stories of Paul Bunyan are examples of American folklore.

Derived Forms

• ˌfolklorˈistic, adjective
• ˈfolkˌlorist, nounadjective
• ˈfolkˌloric, adjective

Other Words From

• folklorist noun
• folklor·istic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of folklore¹

1846; folk + lore ¹; coined by English scholar and antiquary William John Thoms (1803–85)

Example Sentences

On his website, Bal described himself as a designer who "combines the right mix of history, folklore, village craft, and dying arts to create imaginative and innovative masterpieces for catwalks and fashion talks".

From BBC

Every place has its own folklore - but now with the help of social media, more and more of it is being discussed online, enthusiasts tell the BBC.

From BBC

According to folklore, he rode over the bridge on his way to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

From BBC

Wigan's victory writes them into folklore as one of, if not the, greatest side of the modern era.

From BBC

Diogo Costa has written himself into football folklore through his art of saving penalties.

From BBC

Related Words

• custom
• fable
• legend
• myth
• mythology
• superstition
• tradition
• wisdom