Definition of "folk" []

• The common people of a society or region considered as the representatives of a traditional way of life and especially as the originators or carriers of the customs, beliefs, and arts that make up a distinctive culture: a leader who came from the folk. (noun)
• Archaic A nation; a people. (noun)
• Informal People in general. Often used in the plural: Folks around here are very friendly. (noun)
• People of a specified group or kind. Often used in the plural: city folks; rich folk. (noun)
• Informal The members of one's family or childhood household; one's relatives. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "At this point, what does the term "folk music" really mean?"
• "” We use the term folk varieties in support of the efforts of Third World countries and the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to have these varieties recognized as a part of the"
• "Q: The term folk hero has been thrown around a bit."