cult

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}]
    

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]
    

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