lore
1 Americannoun
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the body of knowledge, especially of a traditional, anecdotal, or popular nature, on a particular subject.
the lore of herbs.
- Synonyms:
- wisdom
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learning, knowledge, or erudition.
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Archaic.
-
the process or act of teaching; instruction.
-
something that is taught; lesson.
-
noun
noun
-
collective knowledge or wisdom on a particular subject, esp of a traditional nature
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knowledge or learning
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archaic teaching, or something that is taught
noun
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the surface of the head of a bird between the eyes and the base of the bill
-
the corresponding area in a snake or fish
Related Words
See learning.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lore1
First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English lār; cognate with Dutch leer, German Lehre “teaching”; see origin at learn
Origin of lore2
First recorded in 1615–25; from New Latin lōrum, special use of Latin lōrum “thong, strap”
Explanation
Lore is a body of knowledge or tradition that is passed down among members of a culture, usually orally. It's the lore in "folklore," and responsible for spreading the word on mythical figures like Santa Claus, Paul Bunyan, and even Uncle Sam. Most lore begins as an oral tradition, passed on by word of mouth, and only later takes on a written form. We tend to think of lore as something centuries-old, as in the British Arthurian lore surrounding the doings of the mythical King Arthur and his court. However, newer lore — such as baseball lore — is constantly springing up. Humans need and love their lore.
Vocabulary lists containing lore
Vocabulary from an excerpt from "Confessions of a 30-Year-Old Gamer," by Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates
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Beowulf
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The Girl Who Drank the Moon
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 2016, McMillon led Walmart’s purchase of e-commerce startup Jet.com for $3.3 billion and its founder Marc Lore in charge of U.S. e-commerce operations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025
As the youngest staff writer in her current writers’ room, Lore V. Olivera, 26, has gotten used to her senior counterparts waxing nostalgic about the “good old times.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2025
The venue will reopen on Saturday, with its exhibition The Lore of Loverboy and evening event the Mighty Crown Ball.
From BBC • Aug. 20, 2024
Rodriguez said he and Lore — who unsuccessfully tried to purchase the New York Mets before striking the deal with Taylor — also were committed to Minnesota.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 28, 2024
“She spent much more time here last summer than she has before,” Lore said.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
