First Known Use: 1617
Dictionary
cult
noun, often attributive \ˈkəlt\
: a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous
: a situation in which people admire and care about something or someone very much or too much
: a small group of very devoted supporters or fans
Full Definition of CULT
1
:Â formal religious veneration :Â worship
2
:Â a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also :Â its body of adherents
3
:Â a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also :Â its body of adherents
4
:Â a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5
a :Â great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially :Â such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b :Â the object of such devotion c :Â a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
— cul·tic \ˈkÉ™l-tik\ adjective
— cult·ish \-tish\ adjective
— cult·ish·ly \-lÄ“\ adverb
— cult·ish·ness \-nÉ™s\ noun
— cult·ism \ˈkÉ™l-ËŒti-zÉ™m\ noun
— cult·ist \ˈkÉ™l-tist\ noun
— cult·like \-ËŒlÄ«k\ adjective
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Examples of CULT
- She has developed a cult following.
- <long after it had gone off the air, the TV series continued to have a huge cult>
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Origin of CULT
French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate — more at wheel
Related to CULT
- Synonyms
- audience, followership, following
Other Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms
Medical Dictionary
cult
abbreviation
Medical Definition of CULT
culture
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