lore

¹

[ lawr, lohr ]

noun

1. the body of knowledge, especially of a traditional, anecdotal, or popular nature, on a particular subject:

   the lore of herbs.

   Synonyms: wisdom

2. learning, knowledge, or erudition.
3. Archaic.
   1. the process or act of teaching; instruction.
   2. something that is taught; lesson.

lore

²

[ lawr, lohr ]

noun

, Zoology.

1. the space between the eye and the bill of a bird, or a corresponding space in other animals, as snakes.

lore

¹

/ lɔː /

noun

1. collective knowledge or wisdom on a particular subject, esp of a traditional nature
2. knowledge or learning
3. archaic.
   teaching, or something that is taught

lore

²

/ lɔː /

noun

1. the surface of the head of a bird between the eyes and the base of the bill
2. the corresponding area in a snake or fish

Other Words From

• loreless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lore¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English lār; cognate with Dutch leer, German Lehre “teaching”; learn

Origin of lore²

First recorded in 1615–25; from New Latin lōrum, special use of Latin lōrum “thong, strap”

Word History and Origins

Origin of lore¹

Old English lār; related to leornian to learn

Origin of lore²

C19: from New Latin lōrum, from Latin: strap

Synonym Study

See learning.

Example Sentences

Those who learn about them at all do so via family or community lore.

From Salon

They have even given Bluesky its own lore, a foundational piece for any social media site that hopes to be anything.

From Slate

Because the events occur long before those in “Dune,” Williams says it actually helped to be removed from the lore.

From Los Angeles Times

This Iowa poll may be an outlier and all the chatter about this remarkable result will end up being nothing more than election year lore.

From Salon

In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adage
• belief
• custom
• fable
• folklore
• knowledge
• legend
• mythology
• superstition
• tale
• tradition