folk
gb/fˈoʊk/ us/fˈoʊk/
A2
English
~ 4500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
people or a group of people
People in general, or a certain group of people.
Usage pattern:
[folk] from [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'folk' with 'folks'; 'folk' is singular as a collective noun, but 'folks' is more informal and plural.
Synonyms
people (Most common and general term; 'folk' is often used more informally or regionally.)
Antonyms
individuals (Refers to single persons rather than groups.)
Collocations
country folk
|local folk
|old folk
|folk at home
Themes
society
|daily life
|communication
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The local folk are very friendly.
- City folk often have different lifestyles from country folk.
- Some folk here still remember the old traditions.
Learner examples
- The folk in this town are nice.
- I like to talk with old folk.
- Many folk came to the festival.
Noun
A2
entity
2
parents or family members
Your parents or close family, said in an informal way.
Usage pattern:
my/your [folk]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'folk' instead of 'folks' when talking about family; the plural form is standard in this meaning.
Synonyms
family ('Family' is more formal and general; 'folks' is casual and warm.)
Antonyms
strangers (Refers to people you do not know, opposite to family members.)
Collocations
my folks
|visit the folks
|back to the folks
Themes
family
|daily life
|relationships
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I’m going to visit my folks this weekend.
- Her folks live in the countryside.
- He called his folks to tell them the news.
Learner examples
- My folks live far away.
- We will see my folks on Sunday.
- His folks are very kind.
adjective
B1
property
3
relating to traditional culture or music
About traditional culture, stories, or music made by ordinary people.
Usage pattern:
[folk] [music/story/dance]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'folk' with 'folklore'; 'folk' is an adjective here, while 'folklore' is a noun for the body of traditions.
Synonyms
traditional ('Traditional' is broader; 'folk' emphasizes origin among ordinary people.)
Antonyms
modern ('Modern' refers to contemporary styles rather than traditional ones.)
Collocations
folk music
|folk dance
|folk tale
Themes
arts
|culture
|arts_entertainment
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She plays folk music on the guitar.
- The festival celebrates folk traditions from around the world.
- I enjoy reading folk tales from different countries.
Learner examples
- I like folk music.
- We saw a folk dance at the fair.
- He told us a folk story.
Grammar
Dictionary form
folk
IPA
GB/fˈoʊk/
US/fˈoʊk/
Syllables & stress
folk (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (folk)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: folk
Noun
- Base: folk
- Plural: folks
Word family
Forms
folks
noun
Core family
folklore
noun
Related words
folksy
adjective
folklorist
noun
Advanced or less common
folkloric
adjective
Expressions
country folk
1/kˈʌntɹi fˈoʊk/
fixed phrase
people from the countryside
People who live in rural areas.
Examples
- Country folk often know their neighbors well.
- The city can be overwhelming for country folk.
folks back home
1/fˈoʊks bˈæk hˈoʊm/
fixed phrase
informal
family or community at home place
Your family or community where you come from.
Examples
- I miss my folks back home.
- The folks back home will be proud of you.
just plain folk
1/d͡ʒˈʌst plˈeɪn fˈoʊk/
fixed phrase
informal
ordinary, everyday people
Normal people without special power, wealth, or fame.
Examples
- Despite his fame, he still sees himself as just plain folk.
- They want to make movies for just plain folk.
old folk
1/ˈoʊld fˈoʊk/
fixed phrase
elderly people
People who are old.
Examples
- The old folk in the village meet every Sunday.
- We should care for our old folk.