folkways

plural noun Sociology.

the ways of living, thinking, and acting in a human group, built up without conscious design but serving as compelling guides of conduct.

Origin:
folk + ways; term introduced in a book of the same title (1907) by W. G. Sumner

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source

Link To folkways

Collins

World English Dictionary

folkways (ˈfəʊkˌweɪz)

—*pl n*
	sociol traditional and customary ways of living

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Relevant Questions

00:10

Folkways is always a great word to know.

So is doohickey. Does it mean:

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

folkways

coined 1907 in book of the same name by U.S. sociologist William Graham Sumner 18401910), who also is credited with ethnocentrism, found in the same book.

Folkways are habits of the individual and customs of the society which arise from efforts to satisfy needs. ... Then they become regulative for succeeding generations and take on the character of a social force. [Sumner, Folkways]

Example sentences

Other newcomers cannot adapt to the unfamiliar folkways of politics.

Hunting stories provide a rich source of both folklore and a window on past folkways and environmental conditions.

She collected costumes from the era and learned its crafts and folkways.

Upgrade to Ad-free Premium Membership!

Related Words

Matching Quote

"The family is both a biological and a cultural group. It is biologic in sense that it is the best arrangement for begetting children and protecting them while they are dependent. It is a cultural group because it brings into intimate association persons of different age and sex who renew and reshape the folkways of the society into which they are born. The household serves as a "cultural workshop" for the transmission of old traditions and for the creation of new social values."

-Arnold Gesell

Partners:Word Bloglines Citysearch The Daily Beast Ask Answers Ask Kids Life123 Sendori Home Advisor

About PRIVACY POLICY Terms API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Suggest a Word Help

folkways

folk·ways