anticult
|an-ti-cult|
🇺🇸
/ˈæn.ti.kʌlt/
🇬🇧
/ˈæn.tɪ.kʌlt/
against cults
Etymology
'anticult' originates from modern English, formed as a compound of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') and 'cult' (from Latin 'cultus' meaning 'worship, cultivation').
'anticult' changed from the hyphenated form 'anti-cult' (a 20th-century English compound); 'cult' itself came into English via Old French 'culte' from Latin 'cultus'. The hyphenated phrase later sometimes merged in spelling to 'anticult'.
Initially the parts literally meant 'against' + 'worship/cult', so the compound simply meant 'against cults'; over time the term has come to denote organized opposition movements or critics of new religious movements and related practices.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person, group, or organized movement opposed to cults or to specific groups regarded as cults; the organized opposition to cults.
The anticult helped former members leave the group and find support.
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Antonyms
Adjective 1
opposed to or critical of cults; intended to counter or resist cult practices or influence.
They launched an anticult campaign to warn the public about the group's recruitment methods.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/30 13:27