cult

noun, often attributive

\ˈkəlt

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

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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

cultist \ ˈkəl-tist

\ 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

But Everlane—which targets a young, female, mostly millennial audience like Aritzia—already has a substantial cult following through its social channels and pop-up stores around the country. — Rachel King, Fortune, "Meghan Markle Is Being Credited With Boosting Aritzia's Earnings. But Is the 'Meghan Effect' Real?," 13 July 2018 Throughout his ongoing work (the album 15 came out this year), he's maintained an unmistakable demeanor that's earned him a cult following. — Jamie Ludwig, Chicago Reader, "Stephanie Marlow of Indie Publicity on a brutal band with a soft spot for pitties," 10 July 2018 Does performance tennis wear translate for Palace’s cross-Atlantic cult following of streetwear fiends? — Samuel Hine, GQ, "Rebel Streetwear Brand Palace Has Crashed Wimbledon," 3 July 2018 Similarly, Cafe X is a robotic cafe with multiple locations in San Francisco and a cult following among the city’s younger populace. — Justin Phillips, SFChronicle.com, "SF restaurants struggle for balance in prices, service as wage hike arrives," 29 June 2018 His first animated creation, The Simpsons, is about to enter its 30th season, and Futurama developed such a strong cult following that it was brought back from the dead a couple times. — Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, "Matt Groening's 'Disenchantment' Gets Its First Trailer," 28 June 2018 In 2012, his execution was again postponed after several fugitives connected to the cult were arrested, allowing authorities to extend the investigation. — NBC News, "Founder of doomsday cult behind deadly 1995 Tokyo subway gas attack executed in Japan," 6 July 2018 The attack targeted judges who lived in the neighborhood and were involved in a land-dispute case related to the cult. — Author: Stuart Biggs, Gearoid Reidy, Anchorage Daily News, "Japan executes cult leader and 6 others for deadly 1995 sarin attack," 6 July 2018 Goop also has a legion of worldwide followers so dedicated one might compare the lifestyle brand to a cult or religion. — Lindzi Scharf, latimes.com, "Gwyneth Paltrow explains the meaning of Goop, talks about the future of her lifestyle brand," 12 June 2018

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.

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Last Updated

4 Nov 2018

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Time Traveler for cult

The first known use of cult was in 1613

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More Definitions for cult

cult

noun

English Language Learners Definition of cult

: 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

See the full definition for cult in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cult

abbreviation