Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “folklorist” come from?

Folklorist derives from English folklore, from English folk combined with English lore, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁-, meaning to fill or be full.

folklorist (English): A person who studies or collects folklore

Definitions

  1. A person who studies or collects folklore

Ancestry of “folklorist”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfolkloreThe tales, legends and superstitions of a...
2EnglishloreAll the facts and traditions about a particular...
3Middle Englishloreeducation, tutoring, mentoring; learning; the...
4Old Englishlārteaching; doctrine; lore, learning, science, art...
5Proto-West Germaniclaiʀu—
6Proto-Germaniclaizōteaching; lore; doctrine
7Proto-Germaniclaizijanąto teach
8Proto-Indo-Europeanloyséyeti—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanleysto trace; to track

Words derived from “folklorist”

  • nonfolklorist
  • folklorista
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leys →