folktale

Definition of folktalenext
as in tale
a traditional description of imaginary events circulated orally among a people West African folktales that continue to be passed from generation to generation through storytelling

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of folktale From causing supernatural events to creating hysteria, our orbiting nightlight has always had legends and folktales written about it. Taylor Grothe, Parents, 28 June 2026 Traditionally played on string instruments like the dulcimer, fiddle, and banjo, this distinctly twangy genre passed down religious hymns, ballads, and folktales through generations. Hillary Richard, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026 Comprising more than 300 folktales and legends from northern Norway, including many from the coastal Sámi and the Skolt Sámi of eastern Finland, this anthology shares narratives told by fishers, farmers, reindeer herders, lay preachers and teachers. Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026 Virginia Hamilton, The People Could Fly A collection of African American folktales rooted in oral tradition—stories carried across generations, shaped by memory, resistance, and imagination. Edwin B. Maxwell, Literary Hub, 22 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for folktale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktale
Noun
  • The agonizing legal circus surrounding Sumner Redstone’s final years at Paramount/Viacom is a sobering cautionary tale.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 July 2026
  • The past few summers have seen nightmare tales from heatwaves in Europe — the continent with the fastest-rising temperatures under global warming.
    Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • First, the inability to use legends outside Ultimate Team continues to be one of EA's cardinal sins.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • But family legend has it that the one brother who settled on the island married a Native American and began a long line of Gendrons.
    Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
    David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 July 2026
  • Gil was trapped beneath more than 100 tons of rubble after the partial collapse of the Galerias Playa Grande commercial center, which includes buildings nine and four stories tall.
    Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • Despite numerous myths, a cat's fur color does not impact its personality traits.
    Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • This is myth, and fisheries biologists know that pike do feed during the hot months just as other fish do.
    Jack G. Mell, Outdoor Life, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • The pages contained everything to know, all the history of the island and the church.
    Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as onetime colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own.
    Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • The love story is one now cemented in the history books of pop culture and romance.
    Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 4 July 2026
  • Did the woman who has spent a career immersed in romance with all of its joys and sorrows really exchange vows in what's essentially her workplace?
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 4 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Folktale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktale. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!