folk song

American  

noun

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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of folk song

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

“I’ve never been, nor will I ever become a magnate,” Maduro said in a speech at a Christmas dinner in a Caracas slum just before breaking into a folk song.

From The Wall Street Journal

Her father, Michael, said they chose her name as a nod to Australia, where the beloved folk song "Waltzing Matilda" is sung as an unofficial national anthem.

From Barron's

South Korea's Supreme Court rejected the case, after the company argued that its version was derived from a folk song in the public domain.

From BBC

Stalin stumbled to the record player and put on a Russian folk song.

From Literature

His bow glided back and forth, his fingers danced across the strings, and a lovely old folk song filled the room.

From Literature