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Cult vs Follower - What's the difference?

cult | follower |

As nouns the difference between cult and follower

is that cult is a group of people with a religious, philosophical or cultural identity sometimes viewed as a sect, often existing on the margins of society or exploitative towards its members while follower is one who follows, comes after another.

As an adjective cult

is of, or relating to a cult.

cult

English

(wikipedia cult)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A group of people with a religious, philosophical or cultural identity sometimes viewed as a sect, often existing on the margins of society or exploitative towards its members.
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  • Devotion to a saint.
  • (lb) A group of people having an obsession with or intense admiration for a particular activity, idea, person or thing.
  • Derived terms

    * cargo cult * cultic * cultist

    See also

    * sect

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of, or relating to a cult.
  • Enjoyed by a small, loyal group.
  • a cult horror movie

    Usage notes

    The term has a positive connotation for groups of art, music, writing, fiction, and fashion devotees, but a negative connotation for new religious, extreme political, questionable therapeutic, and pyramidal business groups.

    Anagrams

    * (l) ----

    follower

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (literally) One who follows, comes after another.
  • Something that comes after another thing.
  • One who is a part of master's physical group, such as a servant or retainer.
  • One who follows mentally, adherer to the opinions, ideas or teachings of another, a movement etc.
  • An imitator, who follows another's example
  • A pursuer.
  • A machine part receiving motion from another
  • A man courting a maidservant.
  • Young cattle.
  • A metal piece placed at the top of a candle to keep the wax melting evenly.
  • (Australian rules football) Any of the three players (the ruckman, ruck rover, and rover) who usually follow the ball around the ground rather than occupying a fixed position.
  • (colloquial, dated) A debt collector.
  • Antonyms

    * leader * precursor

    Derived terms

    * followership * nonfollower