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What is the difference between cult and sect?

cult | sect |

As nouns the difference between cult and sect

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 sect is an offshoot of a larger religion; a group sharing particular (often unorthodox) political and/or religious beliefs.

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

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    sect

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An offshoot of a larger religion; a group sharing particular (often unorthodox) political and/or religious beliefs.
  • A religious sect .
  • A group following a specific ideal or a leader.
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  • (obsolete) A cutting; a scion.
  • See also

    * cult

    Anagrams

    * (l) ----