cult

English Online Dictionary. What means cult‎? What does cult mean?

English

Etymology

Derived from French culte, from Latin cultus (“care, adoration; cult”), from colō (“cultivate; protect”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʌlt/, [kʰʌlt]
• (gulf-golf merger) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒlt/
• (without the foot-strut split) IPA^(key): /ˈkʊlt/
• Rhymes: -ʌlt

Noun

cult (plural cults)

1. (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.

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

3. (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.

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

cult (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to a cult.
2. Enjoyed by a small, loyal group.
3. (neologism, music) Alternative form of kvlt.

Usage notes

The term has a positive connotation for groups of art, music, writing, fiction, and fashion devotees, but a negative connotation for religious, political, therapeutic, and business groups.

Translations

See also

• new religious movement
• sect

Anagrams

• CLUT, L cut

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English cult. Doublet of cultus.

Pronunciation

Noun

cult m (plural cults, diminutive cultje n)

1. (informal) cult (socially proscribed marginal religious group)

   Synonym: sekte

Usage notes

• Often dismissed as an anglicism (sekte being the standard term in this case), but not uncommon in informal parlance.

Friulian

Pronunciation

Noun

cult m (plural cults)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {}.

Ladin

Pronunciation

Noun

cult m (plural cults)

1. cult, religion

Piedmontese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kylt/

Noun

cult m

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {}.

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English cult. Doublet of culto.

Pronunciation

Adjective

cult (invariable)

1. (Brazil) cult (enjoyed by a small, loyal group)

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French culte, from Latin cultus (“care, adoration; cult”), from colō (“cultivate; protect”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kult/

Noun

cult n (plural culte)

1. cult

Declension

Derived terms

• cultic