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Cult vs Worship - What's the difference?

cult | worship |

As nouns the difference between cult and worship

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 worship is the condition of being worthy; honour, distinction.

As an adjective cult

is of, or relating to a cult.

As a verb worship is

to reverence (a deity, etc.) with supreme respect and veneration; to perform religious exercises in honour of.

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.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • * '>citation
  • * '>citation
  • *
  • 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) ----

    worship

    English

    (wikipedia worship)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (obsolete) The condition of being worthy; honour, distinction.
  • *:
    • I will be on horsbak said the knyght / thenne was Arthur wrothe and dressid his sheld toward hym with his swerd drawen / whan the knyght sawe that / he a lyghte / for hym thought no worship to haue a knyght at suche auaille he to be on horsbak and he on foot and so he alyght & dressid his sheld vnto Arthur
  • *1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , III.3:
  • *:Then he forth on his journey did proceede, / To seeke adventures which mote him befall, / And win him worship through his warlike deed.
  • The devotion accorded to a deity or to a sacred object.
  • The religious ceremonies that express this devotion.
  • *(John Tillotson) (1630-1694)
  • *:The worship of God is an eminent part of religion, and prayer is a chief part of religious worship.
  • (by extension) The ardent love of a something.
  • An object of worship.
  • *(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) (1807-1882)
  • *:In attitude and aspect formed to be / At once the artist's worship and despair.
  • Honour; respect; civil deference.
  • *(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • *:of which great worth and worship may be won
  • *(Bible), (w) xiv. 10
  • *:Then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

    • Derived terms

    * freedom of worship * Her Worship * His Worship * house of worship * place of worship * Worship * worshipability * worshipable * worshipful * Worshipful Master * worshipfully * worshipfulness * worshipped * worshipping * worshippingly * worshipworthy * Your Worship

    Synonyms

    * adoration * reverence * idolatry

    Verb

  • To reverence (a deity, etc.) with supreme respect and veneration; to perform religious exercises in honour of.
  • * Shakespeare
    • God is to be worshipped .
  • * Milton
    • When all our fathers worshipped stocks and stones.
  • To honour with extravagant love and extreme submission, as a lover; to adore; to idolize.
  • * Carew
    • With bended knees I daily worship her.
  • To participate in religious ceremonies.
    • We worship at the church down the road.