cult

noun, often attributive

\ ˈkəlt

Essential Meaning of cult

1 : 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 satanic cult cult members

2 : a situation in which people admire and care about something or someone very much or too much He criticizes the way journalists promote the cult of celebrity in modern America. [=the tendency of people to care too much about famous people] a cult of personality = a personality cult

3 : a small group of very devoted supporters or fans a cult of admirers She has developed a cult following.

Full Definition of cult

1 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious (see spurious sense 2) also : its body of adherents the voodoo cult a satanic cult

2a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (such as a film or book) criticizing how the media promotes the cult of celebrity especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad

b : the object of such devotion

c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion the singer's cult of fans The film has a cult following.

3 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual also : its body of adherents the cult of Apollo

4 : formal religious veneration : worship

5 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator health cults

Other Words from cult Synonyms The Overlap of Cults and Culture More Example Sentences Learn More About cult

Other Words from cult

cultic \ ˈkəl-tik

\ adjective

cultish \ ˈkəl-tish

\ adjective

cultishly \ ˈkəl-tish-lē

\ adverb

cultishness \ ˈkəl-tish-nəs

\ noun

cultism \ ˈkəl-ˌti-zəm

\ noun

cultlike \ ˈkəlt-ˌlīk

\ adjective

The Overlap of Cults and Culture

Cult, which shares an origin with culture and cultivate, comes from the Latin cultus, a noun with meanings ranging from "tilling, cultivation" to "training or education" to "adoration." In English, cult has evolved a number of meanings following a fairly logical path. The earliest known uses of the word, recorded in the 17th century, broadly denoted "worship." From here cult came to refer to a specific branch of a religion or the rites and practices of that branch, as in "the cult of Dionysus." By the early 18th century, cult could refer to a non-religious admiration or devotion, such as to a person, idea, or fad ("the cult of success"). Finally, by the 19th century, the word came to be used of "a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious."

Examples of cult in a Sentence

She has developed a cult following. long after it had gone off the air, the TV series continued to have a huge cult

Recent Examples on the Web The first season of the lavish Sky Italy original produced by Sky and Cattleya — which is owned by ITV Studios — in collaboration with show runner Matteo Rovere’s Groenlandia shingle, has now attained cult status, if not stellar ratings, in Italy. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 7 Dec. 2021 The cult of Jerry Seinfeld and his flip side, Howard Stern. — Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2021 Here the scene is presided over by a fountain statue of Diana of Ephesus, multibreasted cult goddess. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2021 The jeweler has, of course, reached cult status among the well-heeled and makes just 100 pieces a year, many of which are bespoke creations tailored specifically to his clients. — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2021 With roots and vines in both California and New Zealand, McBride Sisters is quickly building a cult following among wine lovers. — Rachel King, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2021 Jones was born into the religious cult founded in 1968 by her grandfather, David Brandt Berg. — Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2021 For a party trapped in a personality cult and drunk on herrenvolk mythology, there can be no rest in the endless task of informing against and excluding the unworthy. — Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 4 Dec. 2021 But over the course of filming Tiger King 2, the filmmakers encountered accusations that Antle ran his operation like a cult and used his power to prey on women. — Christian Holub, EW.com, 3 Dec. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cult.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.