Search Result for "cult": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (5)

1. followers of an exclusive system of religious beliefs and practices;

2. an interest followed with exaggerated zeal;
- Example: "he always follows the latest fads"
- Example: "it was all the rage that season"
[syn: fad, craze, furor, furore, cult, rage]

3. followers of an unorthodox, extremist, or false religion or sect who often live outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader;

4. a religion or sect that is generally considered to be unorthodox, extremist, or false;
- Example: "it was a satanic cult"

5. a system of religious beliefs and rituals;
- Example: "devoted to the cultus of the Blessed Virgin"
[syn: cult, cultus, religious cult]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Cult \Cult\ (k[u^]lt) n. [F. culte, L. cultus care, culture, fr. colere to cultivate. Cf. Cultus.] 1. Attentive care; homage; worship. [1913 Webster] Every one is convinced of the reality of a better self, and of the cult or homage which is due to it. --Shaftesbury. [1913 Webster] 2. A system of religious belief and worship. [1913 Webster] That which was the religion of Moses is the ceremonial or cult of the religion of Christ. --Coleridge. [1913 Webster] 3. A system of intense religious veneration of a particular person, idea, or object, especially one considered spurious or irrational by traditional religious bodies; as, the Moonie cult. [PJC] 4. The group of individuals who adhere to a cult (senses 2 or 3). [PJC] 5. A strong devotion or interest in a particular person, idea or thing without religious associations, or the people holding such an interest; as, the cult of James Dean; the cult of personality in totalitarian societies. [PJC]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

cult n 1: followers of an exclusive system of religious beliefs and practices 2: an interest followed with exaggerated zeal; "he always follows the latest fads"; "it was all the rage that season" [syn: fad, craze, furor, furore, cult, rage] 3: followers of an unorthodox, extremist, or false religion or sect who often live outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader 4: a religion or sect that is generally considered to be unorthodox, extremist, or false; "it was a satanic cult" 5: a system of religious beliefs and rituals; "devoted to the cultus of the Blessed Virgin" [syn: cult, cultus, religious cult]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

58 Moby Thesaurus words for "cult": Sabbatarianism, Weltanschauung, adoration, articles of religion, catechism, celebration, ceremonialism, church, co-worship, communion, connection, credenda, credo, creed, cultism, cultus, denomination, devotion, doctrinal statement, dulia, faith, formalism, formulated belief, gospel, homage, hyperdulia, ideology, idolatry, ism, latria, liturgics, liturgiology, liturgism, mystique, persuasion, political faith, political philosophy, prostration, religion, reverence, ritualism, rituality, ritualization, sabbatism, sacramentalism, sacramentarianism, school, sect, solemn observance, solemnization, symbolics, symbolism, system of belief, transcendent wonder, veneration, world view, worship, worshiping