When the term cult was introduced into the English language in the early 17th century, it originally referred to the act of worshipping a deity without the negative connotation it has today. Its roots can be traced back to the Latin word cultus, meaning “cultivate”, as in the cultivation of a god’s temple, a practice of reverence in ancient Roman society (Cicero famously described religion as cultus deorum, “the cultivation of the gods”). This stems from the verb colere, which could signify “to till”, “to inhabit”, or “to protect”, and ultimately originates from Proto-Indo-European kel, meaning “to turn around”. The modern negative connotation of cult developed in the late 20th century due to a heightened perception of fanatical devotion. Phrases like cult following first appeared in 1898, while terms like cult status and cult classic emerged in the mid-1900s.
