Definition

Noun (plural form of folk) 1. People in general; ordinary people: Used to refer to a group of people, often with a sense of familiarity or shared identity. 2. One's family, especially one's parents: An informal, affectionate term for one's immediate family members.

Usage

• The word "folks" is informal and conversational. It often conveys a friendly, down-to-earth, or slightly old-fashioned tone.
• It is almost always used in the plural form. The singular "folk" is used in different contexts (e.g., "folk music," "the folk tradition").

Examples

• Meaning 1 (People in general):
  • Some folks believe in luck, while others believe in hard work.
  • The folks in this town are very friendly.
  • That's just how city folks do things.
• Meaning 2 (One's family/parents):
  • I'm going to visit my folks this weekend.
  • He calls his parents every Sunday to check in with the folks.
  • Her folks are coming over for dinner.

Advanced Usage

• Direct address: "Folks" is commonly used to address a group of people in a casual, inclusive way.
  • "Alright, folks, let's get started."
  • "Thanks for coming out tonight, folks!"
• "Old folks": A common, sometimes affectionate, sometimes dated term for elderly people.
  • The community center has activities for the old folks.

Variants and Related Words

• Folk (noun, singular/collective): Refers to people of a particular group or kind, or to traditional culture.
  • The folk of the region have unique customs.
  • She studies Appalachian folk tales.
• Folksy (adjective): Having the characteristics of ordinary, friendly people; simple, informal, and unpretentious.
  • The politician had a folksy charm that appealed to voters.

Synonyms

• For "people in general": people, individuals, citizens, the public, the common people.
• For "family/parents": family, parents, relatives, kin, mum and dad (informal).

Related Idioms

• Just plain folks: Ordinary, unpretentious people.
  • Despite his fame, he still likes to think of himself as just plain folks.
• That's all, folks!: A famous catchphrase used to signal the end of something, popularized by Looney Tunes cartoons.
  • And with that final announcement, the show was over. That's all, folks!

Noun

1. people in general (often used in the plural)
   • they're just country folk
   • folks around here drink moonshine
   • the common people determine the group character and preserve its customs from one generation to the next
2. your parents
   • he wrote to his folks every day