cultism

noun

cult·​ism ˈkəl-ˌti-zəm How to pronounce cultism (audio)
plural -s
1
: devotion to the doctrine or practice of a cult
however foolish the cultism of those who systematized his half-truthsP. T. Homan
: a cultish tendency or outlook
to avoid any taint of cultism, each issue will have a different editorTime
: a tendency to form or embrace a cult
America's intellectual history is rich in cultism, faddism, and large-scale self-deceptionR. H. Rovere
2
: worship, veneration
lived in a world of antiquities and were actuated by … cultism of the deadJ. P. Marquand

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cultism was in 1900

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Cite this Entry

“Cultism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cultism. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.

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