cargo cult

noun

, (sometimes initial capital letters)

1. any of various Indigenous religious groups of a millenarian and messianic character located in the southwestern Pacific Islands, holding that spirits will bring large cargoes of modern goods for distribution among its adherents.

cargo cult

noun

1. a religious movement of the SW Pacific, characterized by expectation of the return of spirits in ships or aircraft carrying goods that will provide for the needs of the followers

Other Words From

• cargo cultist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cargo cult¹

First recorded in 1945–50