Definitions For Filk

Verb

{{en-verb}} (intransitive) To perform filk music. }} (intransitive) To participate in a filk circle, including singing along. (transitive) To write a parody of (a song).

Noun

FILK. (countable and uncountable, plural FILKs) Filk music. Filk song. In general 2001, : Welcome to Harry Potter Filks, with nearly 3400 filks (including several dozen full-length musicals) by more than 250 authors from at least five continents, all on Rowling-related themes. {{anchor, n_filk-of}} A filk song written as a parody of, or in the form of and with reference to, another song (which need not itself be a filk song). Compare #verb, verb transitive sense. 2006, : He has recently started to accompany himself on the piano, and created such wonderful songs as "The Soul" (filk of "The Ship") and "Internal Knight".

Adjective

(not comparable) (music) About or inspired by science fiction, fantasy, horror, science, and/or subjects of interest to fans of speculative fiction; frequently, being a song whose lyrics have been altered to refer to science fiction; parodying. (However, much filk music is original rather than parodic.) }}

Derived terms

filker filksing

Etymology

Originally "filk music" was a typo for "folk music" in a never-published essay on the influence of Science Fiction and Fantasy on folk music. Its first known deliberate use was by Karen Kruse Anderson in Die zeitschrift für vollständig, vollständigen unsinn (The journal for utter, utter nonsense, nonsense) #774 (June 1953), for a song written by science-fiction author Poul Anderson.