folk

American  

[fohk] / foʊk /

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) Usually folks. people in general.

   Folks say there wasn't much rain last summer.

2. (used with a plural verb) Often folks. people of a specified class or group.

   country folk; poor folks.

3. (used with a plural verb) people as the carriers of culture, especially as representing the composite of social mores, customs, forms of behavior, etc., in a society.

   The folk are the bearers of oral tradition.

4. Informal. folks,

   1. members of one's family; one's relatives.

      All his folks come from France.

   2. one's parents.

      Will your folks let you go?

   Synonyms:

   tribe, clan, people, kin, kinfolk

5. Archaic. a people or tribe.

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adjective

1. of or originating among the common people.

   folk beliefs; a folk hero.

2. having unknown origins and reflecting the traditional forms of a society.

   folk culture; folk art.

idioms

1. just folks, (of persons) simple, unaffected, unsophisticated, or open-hearted people.

   He enjoyed visiting his grandparents because they were just folks.

folk British  

/ fəʊk /

noun

1. (functioning as plural; often plural in form) people in general, esp those of a particular group or class

   country folk

2. informal (functioning as plural; usually plural in form) members of a family

3. informal (functioning as singular) short for folk music

4. a people or tribe

5. (modifier) relating to, originating from, or traditional to the common people of a country

   a folk song

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folk More Idioms  

1. see just folks.

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Other Word Forms

• folkish adjective
• folkishness noun

Etymology

Origin of folk

before 900; Middle English; Old English folc; cognate with Old Saxon, Old Norse folk, Old High German folk ( German Volk )

Example Sentences

After all, it is a snappy cowpuncher variation on Woody Guthrie’s “Dusty Old Dust/So Long It’s Been Good to Know Yuh” with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, the folk legend’s old musical partner, singing along.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

While some members gravitate toward the album’s first track, “Body to Body,” which includes snippets of the traditional Korean folk song “Arirang” in it,” the more romantic “Swim” is pushed forward.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

Beginning with "Body to Body" and ending with "Into the Sun", the 14-track "ARIRANG" album takes its name from a folk song about longing and separation that is often dubbed South Korea's unofficial national anthem.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Critics come in for harsher abuse, but Mr. Ireland spreads around his comical scorn about the vanities and hypocrisies of theater folk liberally.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

This is an example of Aeolian mode in the American folk song “Aeolian Lullaby.”

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• community
• family
• group
• people
• public