cult

[ kuhlt ]

noun

1. a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers:

   the physical fitness cult.

3. the object of such devotion.
4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5. Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
6. a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.
7. the members of such a religion or sect.
8. any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

adjective

1. of or relating to a cult.
2. of, for, or attracting a small group of devotees:

   a cult movie.

cult

/ kʌlt /

noun

1. a specific system of religious worship, esp with reference to its rites and deity
2. a sect devoted to such a system
3. a quasi-religious organization using devious psychological techniques to gain and control adherents
4. sociol a group having an exclusive ideology and ritual practices centred on sacred symbols, esp one characterized by lack of organizational structure
5. intense interest in and devotion to a person, idea, or activity

   the cult of yoga

6. the person, idea, etc, arousing such devotion
7. 1. something regarded as fashionable or significant by a particular group
   2. ( as modifier )

      a cult show

8. modifier of, relating to, or characteristic of a cult or cults

   a cult figure

cult

1. In anthropology , an organization for the conduct of ritual, magical, or other religious observances. Many so-called primitive tribes, for example, have ancestor cults, in which dead ancestors are considered divine and activities are organized to respect their memory and invoke their aid. A cult is also a religious group held together by a dominant, often charismatic individual, or by the worship of a divinity, an idol, or some other object. ( See animism (see also animism ), fetish , and totemism .)

Notes

The term cult often suggests extreme beliefs and bizarre behavior.

Derived Forms

• ˈcultist, noun
• ˈcultism, noun

Other Words From

• cultic cul·tu·al [kuhl, -choo-, uh, l], adjective
• cultish adjective
• anti·cult noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cult¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin cultus “habitation, tilling, refinement, worship,” equivalent to cul-, variant stem of colere “to inhabit, till, worship” + -tus, suffix of verb action

Word History and Origins

Origin of cult¹

C17: from Latin cultus cultivation, refinement, from colere to till

Example Sentences

A 2019 New York magazine story outlined Gabbard’s longtime family connections to a Hinduism-derived group called Science of Identity, which one source described as a cult and others said is run by an individual who is attempting to use Gabbard to secure influence with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

From Slate

A new recording has emerged of notorious cult leader Charles Manson appearing to admit to additional killings.

From BBC

The cult leader directed the killings in the hope they would start a race war.

From BBC

After spending more than 40 years in the music industry as an artist manager, Wendy Dio -- who had a bit part in the 1975 cult film “Death Race 2000” -- started the fund not long after her husband of more than three decades died from stomach cancer on May 16, 2010, at the age of 67.

From Los Angeles Times

In an audio recording featured in a new clip from the upcoming docuseries “Making Manson,” the deadly cult leader claims that he lived in Mexico in the 1960s and “got involved in a couple of killings.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• band
• church
• clan
• clique
• denomination
• faith
• religion
• sect