Synonyms of lore
1
: a particular body of knowledge or tradition
the lore of baseball heroes
2
: something that is learned:
a
: traditional knowledge or belief
tribal lore
b
: knowledge gained through study or experience
the lore of religious architecture
3
archaic : something that is taught : lesson

lore

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the space between the eye and bill in a bird or the corresponding region in a reptile or fish
—usually plural
dark lores

Examples of lore in a Sentence

Noun (1) the home gardener had acquired her herbal lore from many years of trial and error set out to study the rich lore of the Cajun people of Louisiana before it all vanished
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Then there’s his real-life lore… War, the new HBO drama about a high-profile divorce between a movie star and a billionaire tech founder, opens with Dominic West cheating on Sienna Miller. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026 The Pleiades open star cluster Don't be fooled by their beauty; the blue-white stars of the Pleiades are dripping in spooky lore. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2026 There was a time where Bill Murray Moments were up there with Chuck Norris Facts in terms of internet lore. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2026 As with any fan culture, the lore and language are self-referential and constantly evolving. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lore

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English lār; akin to Old High German lēra doctrine, Old English leornian to learn

Noun (2)

New Latin lorum, from Latin, thong, rein; akin to Greek eulēra reins

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun (2)

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lore was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lore. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

lore

noun
ˈlō(ə)r, 
ˈlȯ(ə)r
: knowledge sense 1
especially : a particular body of knowledge or tradition
forest lore
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