From the Latin cultus, meaning “care, cultivation, worship” by way of the French culte. In English it was originally used in the 17th century to mean “worship” or “a particular form of worship.” It referred to the homage paid to a deity. Thus, Christianity, Judaism, Protestantism, Islam, etc. are all cults by the original meaning of the term. It went out of use in the 18th century, but was revived in the middle of the 19th century as a descriptive term of ancient or primitive forms of worship. Thus, Shamanism, Druidism, and Paganism are cults according to the 19th century definition. In recent years the term has come to mean a group, frequently relatively small in number, that is perceived as spreading false teachings, taking advantage of members or outsiders, and/or is “evil.” In this sense it is sometimes used as an epithet by members of one group—usually larger in number and having a longer historical existence—against those of a group that the first one doesn’t like. Thus, to some sects of Christians, Pagans, Satanists, the Seventh Day Adventists, and the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (the Mormons) are types of cults.

In the early 19th century, the term also started to be used to describe extreme devotion to a person or thing. Today this is popularized in the expression, “cult of personality.” That is, some people regard a leader or product with misplaced or excessive admiration, ignoring or denying any facts that would show this admiration to be misplaced.