Folk (?), Folks (?), n. collect. & pl. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. flk, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]
1. Eng. Hist.
In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe.
[Obs.]
The organization of each folk, as such, sprang mainly from war.
J. R. Green.
2.
People in general, or a separate class of people; -- generally used in the plural form, and often with a qualifying adjective; as, the old folks; poor folks.
[Colloq.]
In winter's tedious nights, sit by the fire
With good old folks, and let them tell thee tales.
Shak.
3.
The persons of one's own family; as, our folks are all well.
[Colloq. New Eng.]
Bartlett.
Folk song, one of a class of songs long popular with the common people. -- Folk speech, the speech of the common people, as distinguished from that of the educated class.
© Webster 1913.