occult

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈɒk.ʌlt/ or /əˈkʌlt/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /əˈkʌlt/

• Audio (AU)

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Adjective

Positive occult

Comparative more occult

Superlative most occult

1. If something is occult it is hidden or secret—or it is about hidden or secret things.
   1. If something is occult it is part of the universe most people do not see. An occult thing is something that is strange or weird, and might be called magic.

      I've seen many occult happenings, including ghosts and witchcraft.

   2. About an unusual belief held by mysterious groups outside of the normal belief system. This is often a belief that involves magic or spirits. Many occult groups keep their beliefs secret, but not all do.

      Her occult activities included witchcraft, voodoo, and hoodoo.

      The Order of the Golden Dawn was a famous British occult group.

   3. (medicine) An occult problem is one that you cannot see without special tools (like x-rays)

      The baby had an occult cleft palate.

Related words

• magic
• mystic, mystical, mysticism
• paranormal
• religion

Verb

Plain form occult

Third-person singular occults

Past tense occulted

Past participle occulted

Present participle occulting

1. If you occult something, you cover it.

   The Earth occults the Moon when a lunar eclipse happens.

Noun

Singular occult

Plural none

1. (uncountable) (usually has the before it) The occult is anything to do with things that are not normal; supernatural or paranormal.