noun
folklore
FOHK-law
noun
1
The traditional stories, beliefs, customs, and superstitions of a particular culture or community, passed down informally.
"The village's folklore included tales of a ghost that haunted the old mill."
"Local folklore claims the lake is bottomless."
2
Informally, widely known ideas or claims within a field that are believed but never formally documented.
"It's programming folklore that rebooting fixes most problems."
How to Use Folklore
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTraditional stories and beliefs passed down within a culture, or informally, "things everyone just knows" in a field.
Common pairings
local folklore
folklore and legend
according to folklore
Word Forms
folklores plural
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The village's _____ included tales of a ghost that haunted the old mill.
Etymology
Coined in 1846 by British writer William Thoms, joining "folk" and "lore" to replace the older phrase "popular antiquities."