cult

noun

(informal) A group of people having an obsession with or intense admiration for a particular activity, idea, person or thing.

(chiefly derogatory) A group, sect or movement following an unorthodox religious or philosophical system of beliefs, especially one in which members remove and exclude themselves from greater society, including family members not part of the cult, and show extreme devotion to a charismatic leader.

(religion) The veneration, devotion, and religious rites given to a deity (especially in a historical polytheistic context), or (in a Christian context) to a saint; a subset of worship.

adjective

Of or relating to a cult.

Enjoyed by a small, loyal group.

(neologism, music) Alternative form of kvlt. [(music, slang, humorous) True to the ideology of black metal or a stereotypical manifestation of that subculture.]

Roots

colocult- · Latin · cultivate, worship

Synonyms for cult

cultusn cultismn sectn latrian religionn idolatryn hyperdulia venerationn adorationn worshipingv

Synonyms & related words for cult

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of cult — including cultus, cultism, sect, latria, religion, idolatry. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to cult

Explore words related to cult — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include cultish, cultic, cultist, mystagogue, fad, craze, devotees, satanist. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for cult

Common synonyms for cult include cultus, cultism, sect, latria, religion, idolatry, hyperdulia, veneration — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does cult come from?

The word cult breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root cult-, from Latin colo (“cultivate, worship”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.