cultus

¹

[ kuhl-tuhs ]

noun

, plural cul·tus·es, cul·ti [kuhl, -tahy].

1. a cult.

cultus

²

[ kuhl-tuhs ]

noun

, plural cul·tus·es, (especially collectively) cul·tus.

1. lingcod.

cultus

/ ˈkʌltəs /

noun

1. RC Church another word for cult

Word History and Origins

Origin of cultus¹

From Latin, dating back to 1630–40; cult

Origin of cultus²

1850–55, Americanism; < Chinook Jargon kə́ltəs worthless, bad, < Lower Chinook kə́ltas in vain, only (but perhaps itself < Chinook Jargon)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cultus¹

C17: from Latin: a toiling over something, refinement, cult

Example Sentences

When someone is proclaimed a saint by the pope — which can happen only after death — public devotion to the saint, called a “cultus,” is authorized for Catholics throughout the world.

From Salon

The worship of Serapis was patronized by the court with the very object of affording a mixed cultus in which Greek and native might unite.

From Project Gutenberg

Hosea stigmatizes the whole cultus as pure heathenism—Canaanite baal-worship adopted by apostate Israel.

From Project Gutenberg

I suppose he had secured his outfit as a ‘cultus potlatch’ from persons he had met.

From Project Gutenberg

M. Lajard has given an account of this cultus, which so generally supplanted the mystic worship of the West.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• fad
• form
• look
• mode
• model
• pattern
• shape
• thing
• tone
• trend