cult

noun

ˈkəlt 

often attributive

1

: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious (see spurious sense 2)

also : its body of adherents

the voodoo cult

a satanic cult

2

a

: 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

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

Did you know?

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."

Synonyms

• audience
• followership
• following

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

This beauty with absolute cult factor and a 56-hour power reserve comes in a 41 mm rose-gold case with a crown set with a stunning aquamarine cabochon for 110,000 Swiss francs (approx. —Elizabeth Doerr, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024

In ancient Egypt, temples dedicated to specific religious cults or gods functioned as lucrative businesses. —Kate McMahon, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

Equal parts transformative and gruesome, this legendary cult film isn’t for the faint of heart. —Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2024

The Elise Nap Dress $228 Hill House Founded by Nell Diamond, Hill House's Nap Dresses have achieved a type of cult status that money can't buy thanks to their breezy femininity, ease, and versatility. —Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2024

The company’s Nacho Fries, a recurring menu item, have found a loyal cult audience. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2024

Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich will be making cameos in the upcoming sequel of the 1984 cult classic mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. —Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2024

Like his famous wife, Guest is also a revered writer/director in his own right with quite the cult following. —Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024

Remains so degraded that a handwritten card identified each victim of the cult. —David McKenzie, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate — more at wheel

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Phrases Containing cult

• cult of personality
• sub-cult
• anti-cult
• personality cult
• cargo cult
• cult of celebrity

Kids Definition

cult

noun

ˈkəlt 

1

: a system of religious worship

2

a

: enthusiastic but often temporary devotion to a person, idea, or thing

b

: the object of such devotion

c

: a group of persons who belong to or show devotion to a cult

cultist

ˈkəl-təst 

noun

Medical Definition

cult

abbreviation

culture