folk tale

American  

[fohk tayl] / ˈfoʊk ˌteɪl /

Or folktale

noun

1. a tale or legend originating and traditional among a people or folk, especially one forming part of the oral tradition of the common people.

2. any belief or story passed on traditionally, especially one considered to be false or based on superstition.

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folk tale British  

noun

1. a tale or legend originating among a people and typically becoming part of an oral tradition

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Etymology

Origin of folk tale

First recorded in 1890–95

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

folk tale

But no: this has become a subgenre of its own, a kind of folk tale the news loves to tell.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2025

Lately, she had been telling friends that understanding the current border crisis reminded her of an old folk tale about a group of blind men encountering an elephant.

From New York Times ● Feb. 18, 2024

The lavish folk tale draws from the song "When You Wish Upon a Star" from the 1940 cartoon film "Pinocchio," about a puppet wishing to become a real boy.

From Reuters ● Nov. 20, 2023

Executive Director Julie Perlin Lee told me they always try to sync up the space’s monthly story time with a topical theme, such as a winter Ukrainian folk tale in December.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2023

One thing is certain, nothing persists so strongly and lives so long as a fable or folk tale.

From The Talking Beasts by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin

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