cult

noun, often attributive \ˈkəlt\

: 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

Full Definition of CULT

: formal religious veneration : worship

: a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents

: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents

: a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>

a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); 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

— cul·tic \ˈkəl-tik\ adjective

— cult·ish \-tish\ adjective

— cult·ish·ly \-lē\ adverb

— cult·ish·ness \-nəs\ noun

— cult·ism \ˈkəl-ˌti-zəm\ noun

— cult·ist \ˈkəl-tist\ noun

— cult·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

See cult defined for English-language learners

See cult defined for kids