folk
Americannoun
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(used with a plural verb) Usually folks. people in general.
Folks say there wasn't much rain last summer.
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(used with a plural verb) Often folks. people of a specified class or group.
country folk; poor folks.
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(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.
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Informal. folks,
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members of one's family; one's relatives.
All his folks come from France.
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one's parents.
Will your folks let you go?
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Archaic. a people or tribe.
adjective
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of or originating among the common people.
folk beliefs; a folk hero.
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having unknown origins and reflecting the traditional forms of a society.
folk culture; folk art.
idioms
noun
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(functioning as plural; often plural in form) people in general, esp those of a particular group or class
country folk
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informal (functioning as plural; usually plural in form) members of a family
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informal (functioning as singular) short for folk music
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a people or tribe
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(modifier) relating to, originating from, or traditional to the common people of a country
a folk song
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 )
Explanation
Folk are regular people. Country folk can be suspicious of fancy city people, while city folk tend to act a little snobby toward country dwellers. The plural form of this word, folks, is often used for groups of ordinary people. You could say that folks in New York seem more accepting of your eccentricities than the folks back home in your small town. You can also refer to your parents as your folks, or use it as an informal, friendly form of address: "Hi, folks! I'll be your waiter today." The Old English root is folc, "common people, nation, or troop."
Vocabulary lists containing folk
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.
But as negotiations began behind closed doors half a kilometre away, all the world's media could do was wait -- and sip on an expertly brewed coffee while listening to live eastern folk music.
From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026
An American folk hero, Whittaker lived a life "devoted to adventure, stewardship, service, and family", his family said in an obituary.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
The 10 songs on “The Line of Time and the Plane of Now” — each recorded in only one take — mix folk, soul and jazz, radiating innocence.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
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
Some also wrote new songs in a "folk" style that enjoyed some popularity, particularly in the 1960's.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
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.
