folk song

American  

noun

• folk songs
  plural

1. a song originating among the people of a country or area, passed by oral tradition from one singer or generation to the next, often existing in several versions, and marked generally by simple, modal melody and stanzaic, narrative verse.

2. a song of similar character written by a known composer.

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folk song British  

noun

1. a song of which the music and text have been handed down by oral tradition among the common people

2. a modern song which employs or reflects the folk idiom

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• folk songs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of folk song

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

folk song

Their comback album, Arirang, is a celebration of their roots - named after a traditional Korean folk song, which is sampled in the opening track Body to Body.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

The Rodgers and Hammerstein show tune, written in the style of an Austrian folk song, may not be a cornerstone of the Mar-a-Lago soundtrack, but it’s a mainstay of U.S.-China diplomacy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

It is named after the traditional Korean folk song about longing and separation, often dubbed South Korea's unofficial national anthem.

From Barron's ● Apr. 9, 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

Walking home, the noisy women shook their old heads and sang a folk song that made them laugh uproariously: Marry a rooster, follow a rooster.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston