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 adjective
cultish adjective
cultishly adverb
cultishness noun
cultism noun
cultlike adjective

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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 The final two seasons featured a cult storyline that had to be wrapped up quickly when Freeform announced that Season 5 would be the show’s last. Megan Vick, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 What sets this cult favorite apart from others is dedication to innovation with fabrics and textiles, unique garment dyeing techniques, and the true functionality of each piece. Laurie Trott, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024 The baby boom generation turned this concept into conspicuous wine consumption, with elaborate man-cave cellars stocked with 100-point cult wines to be trotted out before admiring friends. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Veneta is adept at turning out buzzy it-bags that gain a cult following. Paula Lee, Glamour, 26 Feb. 2024 Directed by James Franco and based on the tell-all book written by one of the film’s stars, Greg Sestero, The Disaster Artist details the bizarre yet inspiring friendship between the The Room’s director, Tommy Wiseau, and Sestero in creating one of the most legendary cult films of all time. Travis Bean, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Koen has appeared on dozens of podcasts over the years to tell her story: that she was tortured and forced to participate in human sacrifice as part of satanic cult rituals led by family members, neighbors and church leaders. Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 Shelby vehicles, named for automotive designer and racing driver Carroll Shelby who died in 2012 at 89, have earned a cult following. Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 Prior to excavations at San Casciano, springs, pools, and running water features were identified at several Etruscan cult sites, which, like San Casciano, became Roman places of worship and, in some cases, healing. Elizabeth Heath, Discover Magazine, 17 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cult.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of cult was in 1613

Dictionary Entries Near cult

Cite this Entry

“Cult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cult

noun
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 noun

Medical Definition

cult

abbreviation

More from Merriam-Webster on cult

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