lore

plural lores

1. countableuncountableAll the facts and traditions about a particular subject that have been accumulated over time through education or experience.

   the recondite lore of the Ancient Egyptians

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   He to them calles and speakes, yet nought avayles; / They heare him not, they have forgot his lore / But go which way they list; their guide they have forelore.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

   The succession story would get repeated so often that it would turn into Silicon Valley lore.

   2025, Karen Hao, Empire of AI, New York City: Penguin Press, →ISBN

2. countableslanguncountablelifestyleThe backstory, especially for a character or setting, created around a fictional universe.

   Lore documents reveal that she was backstabbed by her subordinate, who wanted to become king, and she feels vengeful about it.

   1 more example

   You might have stumbled upon discussions of Bloodborne's lore - there are plenty of discussions about Bloodborne's lore - which can be more than a little dense and, to the outsider, off-putting.

   2018 March 6, Martin Robinson, “Dispelling the myths of Bloodborne”, in Eurogamer

   1. InternetbroadlycountableslanguncountablelifestyleTrivia shared by a person about themselves.

      Most new followers don't know about my marching band lore.

      1 more example

      It's Ashot lore that I used to have a priv where I posted pictures of weird animals I found on the street.

3. countableobsoleteuncountableWorkmanship.

   In her right hand a rod of peace shee bore, / About the which two serpents weren wound; / Entrayled mutually in lovely lore, / And by the tailes together firmely bound […]

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

plural lores

1. anatomyThe region between the eyes and nostrils of birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

   He’s sticky and encrusted on one side below his beak and amongst the lores around his eyes by the pips and juices he has dined upon, the pith and pulp of feeding.

   2022, Jim Crace, eden, Picador, page 40

2. anatomyThe anterior portion of the cheeks of insects.

1. obsoleteparticiplepastsimple past and past participle of lose
2. obsoleteparticiplepastsimple past and past participle of lose, used in the sense of "left"

   Neither of them she found where she them lore.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 44

3. obsoleteparticiplepastsimple past and past participle of lese