Meaning & use
folklore
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Meanings
noununcountable
The traditional beliefs, stories, customs, and sayings of a community, passed down by word of mouth.
Grammar: Uncountable noun: no plural, and no 'a' before it. Say 'a piece of folklore' or 'folklore about...'.
Patterns
- folklore about something
- according to folklore
- in folklore
Local folklore says that a ghost walks through the castle at midnight.
The festival is rich in folklore and traditional songs.
She studies the folklore of rural communities in the mountains.
noununcountabledisapproving
Ideas or beliefs that many people accept but that are not based on facts.
Grammar: Uncountable, often used slightly disapprovingly: 'the folklore of the workplace'.
Patterns
- the folklore of something
- corporate folklore
It is part of company folklore that the founder never took a holiday.
The idea that we only use ten percent of our brain is pure folklore.
Common combinations
- local folklore
- According to local folklore, the lake is bottomless.
- traditional folklore
- The museum displays objects from traditional folklore.
- folklore and mythology
- Her research focuses on folklore and mythology of the region.
- a piece of folklore
- This story is a well-known piece of folklore.
Synonyms and how they differ
- legend
- A legend is a story about famous people or events, often with some historical basis; folklore is the whole body of traditional beliefs and stories.
- myth
- A myth is a traditional story about gods or heroes; folklore is broader and includes customs, songs, and superstitions.
- tradition
- Tradition refers to customs passed down; folklore often includes stories and beliefs as well as practices.
Word family
- folkloric adjective
- Relating to folklore: folkloric characters.
- folklorist noun
- A person who studies folklore.
Commonly confused: folklore or folksong?
folklore vs folksong
A folksong is a traditional song; folklore is the wider collection of stories, beliefs, and customs.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'folklore' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Folklore is uncountable, so it takes no article and has no plural. 'According to folklore' is the natural phrase. 'A folklore' and 'folklores' are wrong because uncountable nouns cannot be used that way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “folklore”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.