urban legend

noun

1. a modern story of obscure origin and with little or no supporting evidence that spreads spontaneously in varying forms and often has elements of humor, moralizing, or horror:

   Are there alligators living in the New York City sewer system, or is that just an urban legend?

Word History and Origins

Origin of urban legend¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

The 1992 film sees Todd's character accidentally summoned to the real world by a graduate student in Chicago intrigued by the urban legend of the Candyman, setting off a chain of murderous events.

From BBC

“I think it’s helpful to note that this is a recurring racist urban legend that happens every few decades. From the late '70s through the late '80s, there were multiple instances of ‘refugees eating dogs and cats’ urban legends,” Maddow said.

From Salon

Maddow has spent years sounding the alarm on growing far-right influences influence within the GOP and told host Stephen Colbert that Nazi groups in Springfield were responsible for “promulgating this old urban legend about that group of immigrants in Springfield.”

From Salon

“It's just a racist urban legend that gets regurgitated every few years every few years whenever Klan-type groups like it.”

From Salon

When he repeats a specific urban legend, though, he doesn’t just trigger the libs but open himself up to mockery among normal people exposed for the first time to the product of a far-right internet subculture that is, yes, weird.

From Salon