DictionaryAI

folks

noun
SayFOHKS/foʊks/UK/fəʊks/

5 meanings of folks

Practice

  1. 1
    people in generalnounUSplural
    People in general: everyone or anyone.

    Most folks around here lock their doors at night.

    These days, folks rarely write letters by hand.

    UsageOften most folks or a lot of folks. It sounds friendly; in formal writing, say people.

    Similarpeople

    Note
  2. 2
    parentsnounplural
    The people in your close family, especially your parents.

    My folks are coming to visit next weekend.

    She introduced him to her folks over dinner.

    UsageUsually my folks, your folks.

    Similarparents, family, relatives, kin

  3. 3
    noun
    Plural of folk. Use it for more than one people or nation, mostly in old writing.
    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    nounhistoricalCalifornia
    People who moved to California from Iowa and nearby Midwestern states in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
    McPherson's healing ministry, in fact. was at the core of her success, since so many of the Folks had come to Southern California in late middle or old age in the hope of regaining lost health.
    2007, Kevin Starr, California: A History
  2. 5
    noundialectalLouisianaSouthernUS
    The police: the officers who keep order and enforce the law.

folks is a form of folk

folk, noun: People in general, meaning all the men, women, and children in a place or group. Full entry

Forms
folkfolks plural
Spelling
folk → folks: add -s
Sound
The ending sounds like /s/.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of folks apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.