Definition

1. Noun:
   • The traditional and typically anonymous music that is an expression of the life of people in a community: Folk music refers to music that originates in and is passed down through a community, often by oral tradition. It reflects the cultural identity, stories, history, and daily experiences of ordinary people.

Usage

• Folk music is used as a non-count noun to describe a genre or category of music.
• It is often contrasted with commercial or classical music.
• It can be modified by adjectives specifying a region, culture, or era (e.g., American folk music, Celtic folk music).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The festival celebrates various forms of folk music from around the world.
  • She learned to play folk music on the acoustic guitar.
  • The collection includes recordings of traditional folk music from the 19th century.

Advanced Usage

• "to play/sing folk music": to perform this genre of music.
  • The band specializes in playing early 20th-century folk music.
• "a piece of folk music": a specific song or tune within the genre.
  • That folk music ballad tells the story of a local legend.

Variants and Related Words

• Folk (noun, as short form): Often used informally to mean folk music.
  • Do you listen to much folk?
• Folksinger (noun): A person who sings folk music.
• Folk song (noun): A single song belonging to the folk music tradition.
  • He performed a classic folk song about railroad workers.

Synonyms

• Traditional music: Music that is passed down through generations.
• Roots music: A term emphasizing the origins of popular music genres in folk traditions.

Related Phrases

• Folk revival: A period of renewed interest in and performance of folk music.
  • The folk revival of the 1960s introduced the genre to a new audience.
• Folk tradition: The customary practice of creating and sharing folk music within a community.
  • This style of singing is part of a long folk tradition.

Noun

1. the traditional and typically anonymous music that is an expression of the life of people in a community