The occult is the knowledge and study of supernatural or magical forces.
...sinister experiments with the occult.
...books dealing with the occult.
Occult is also an adjective.
...organisations which campaign against paganism and occult practice.
More Synonyms of occult
occult in British English
adjective (ɒˈkʌlt, ˈɒkʌlt)
1.
a.
of or characteristic of magical, mystical, or supernatural arts, phenomena, or influences
b.
(as noun)
the occult
2.
beyond ordinary human understanding
3.
secret or esoteric
verb (ɒˈkʌlt)
4. astronomy
(of a celestial body) to hide (another celestial body) from view by occultation or (of a celestial body) to become hidden by occultation
5.
to hide or become hidden or shut off from view
6. (intransitive)
(of lights, esp in lighthouses) to shut off at regular intervals
Derived forms
occultly (ocˈcultly)
adverb
occultness (ocˈcultness)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin occultus, past participle of occulere, from ob- over, up + -culere, related to celāre to conceal
occult in American English
(əˈkʌlt; ˈɑˌkʌlt)
adjective
1.
hidden; concealed
2.
secret; esoteric
3.
beyond human understanding; mysterious
4.
designating or of certain arts, studies, or practices, as magic, alchemy, or astrology, involving mysterious powers that some people believe can affect the way things happen
verb transitive, verb intransitive
5.
to hide or become hidden from view
6. Astronomy
to hide by occultation
Idioms:
the occult
Derived forms
occultly (ocˈcultly)
adverb
Word origin
L occultus, concealed, pp. of occulere, to cover over < ob- (see ob-) + celare, to hide (see hall)
Examples of 'occult' in a sentence
occult
The countries are drawn together by some occult footballing force.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It was as though he was being followed by occult forces.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It is the place of initiation where the pure hero takes on occult forces.
Hyland, Paul Indian Balm - Travels in the Southern Subcontinent (1994)
As an actor, he has occult powers.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
As a magician, he was largely a theorist, avoiding actual practice of the occult arts.
Campbell, Eileen & Brennan, J. H. Dictionary of Mind, Body and Spirit (1994)
The monochrome weekly magazine of my youth was mouthy, pretentious, political and packed with occult knowledge.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He used to laugh at her native stories of occult powers, though she knew that he had seen some strange things done, as most foreigners had.
Frances Hodgson Burnett Emily Fox-Seton (1901)
In other languages
occult
British English: occult NOUN
The occult is the knowledge and study of supernatural or magical forces.
Interest in the occult tended toward ceremonial magic rather than witchcraft.
American English: occult
Brazilian Portuguese: forças ocultas
Chinese: 神秘学
European Spanish: ocultismo
French: occulte
German: Okkulte
Italian: occulto
Japanese: オカルト
Korean: 비술
European Portuguese: forças ocultas
Latin American Spanish: ocultismo
Chinese translation of 'occult'
occult
(ɔˈkʌlt)
n
the occult神鬼之事 (shénguǐ zhī shì)
adj
[subject, powers]玄妙的 (xuánmiào de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
involving mystical or supernatural phenomena or powers
organizations which campaign against paganism and occult practices
Synonyms
supernatural
evil spirits who looked like humans and possessed supernatural powers
dark
the dark recesses of the mind
magical
the story of a little boy who has magical powers
mysterious
He died in mysterious circumstances.
psychic
Trevor helped police by using his psychic powers.
mystical
mystic union with God
mystic
unearthly
The sound was so serene that it seemed unearthly.
unnatural
The altered landscape looks unnatural and weird.
esoteric
She has published several books on pathworking and other esoteric subjects.
uncanny
I had this uncanny feeling that Alice was warning me.
arcane
the arcane world of contemporary music
paranormal
abstruse
Meetings keep reverting to discussions about abstruse resolutions.
recondite
Her poems are recondite in subject matter.
preternatural
preternatural powers
cabbalistic
supranatural
2 (adjective)
Definition
secret or mysterious
Synonyms
secret
It has a secret compartment hidden behind the magical mirror.
hidden
Uncover hidden meanings and discover special messages.
unknown
concealed
He was filmed with a concealed camera.
obscure
The contract is written in obscure language.
invisible
The problems of the poor are largely invisible.
veiled
unrevealed
Opposites
open
,
revealed
,
obvious
,
exposed
,
plain
,
apparent
,
visible
,
evident
,
manifest
,
blatant
,
overt
phrase
See the occult
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abstruse
Definition
not easy to understand
Meetings keep reverting to discussions about abstruse resolutions.
Synonyms
obscure,
complex,
confusing,
puzzling,
subtle,
mysterious,
concealed,
abstract,
vague,
deep,
dark,
hidden,
unclear,
ambiguous,
enigmatic,
esoteric,
perplexing,
occult,
opaque,
incomprehensible,
arcane,
hazy,
cryptic,
unfathomable,
recondite,
Delphic,
clear as mud (informal)
in the sense of arcane
Definition
very mysterious
the arcane world of contemporary music
Synonyms
mysterious,
secret,
hidden,
esoteric,
occult,
recondite,
cabbalistic
in the sense of concealed
He was filmed with a concealed camera.
Synonyms
hidden,
covered,
secret,
screened,
masked,
obscured,
covert,
unseen,
tucked away,
secreted,
under wraps,
inconspicuous
Nearby words of
occult
occasional
occasionally
occlude
occult
occultism
occupancy
occupant
Related terms of
occult
the occult
Synonyms of 'occult'
occult
Explore 'occult' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of dark
Definition
secret or mysterious
the dark recesses of the mind
Synonyms
secret,
deep,
hidden,
mysterious,
concealed,
obscure,
mystic,
enigmatic,
puzzling,
occult,
arcane,
cryptic,
abstruse,
recondite,
Delphic
in the sense of esoteric
Definition
understood by only a small number of people, esp. because they have special knowledge
She has published several books on pathworking and other esoteric subjects.
Synonyms
obscure,
private,
secret,
hidden,
inner,
mysterious,
mystical,
mystic,
occult,
arcane,
hypermetric,
cryptic,
inscrutable,
abstruse,
recondite,
cabbalistic
in the sense of hidden
Definition
not easily noticed or obscure
Uncover hidden meanings and discover special messages.
Synonyms
secret,
veiled,
dark,
mysterious,
obscure,
mystical,
mystic,
shrouded,
occult,
latent,
cryptic,
ulterior,
abstruse,
recondite,
hermetic or hermetical
in the sense of invisible
Definition
concealed from sight
The problems of the poor are largely invisible.
Synonyms
hidden,
concealed,
obscured,
secret,
disguised,
inconspicuous,
unobserved,
unnoticeable,
inappreciable
in the sense of magical
the story of a little boy who has magical powers
Synonyms
supernatural,
magic,
mystical,
mystic,
occult,
other-worldly,
paranormal,
preternatural
in the sense of mysterious
Definition
of unknown cause or nature
He died in mysterious circumstances.
Synonyms
strange,
unknown,
puzzling,
curious,
secret,
hidden,
weird,
concealed,
obscure,
baffling,
veiled,
mystical,
perplexing,
uncanny,
incomprehensible,
mystifying,
impenetrable,
arcane,
inexplicable,
cryptic,
insoluble,
unfathomable,
abstruse,
recondite,
Delphic
in the sense of mystical
Definition
having occult or metaphysical significance
mystic union with God
Synonyms
supernatural,
mysterious,
transcendental,
spiritual,
esoteric,
occult,
arcane,
metaphysical,
paranormal,
inscrutable,
otherworldly,
abstruse,
cabalistic,
preternatural,
nonrational
in the sense of obscure
Definition
not easily understood
The contract is written in obscure language.
Synonyms
abstruse,
involved,
complex,
confusing,
puzzling,
subtle,
mysterious,
deep,
vague,
unclear,
doubtful,
mystical,
intricate,
ambiguous,
enigmatic,
esoteric,
perplexing,
occult,
opaque,
incomprehensible,
arcane,
cryptic,
unfathomable,
recondite,
Delphic,
clear as mud (informal)
in the sense of preternatural
Definition
beyond what is natural
preternatural powers
Synonyms
supernatural,
odd,
strange,
unusual,
extraordinary,
mysterious,
marvellous,
peculiar,
abnormal,
irregular,
unearthly,
miraculous,
unnatural,
inexplicable,
unaccountable,
anomalous
in the sense of psychic
Definition
relating to or having powers (especially mental powers) which cannot be explained by natural laws
Trevor helped police by using his psychic powers.
Synonyms
supernatural,
mystic,
occult,
clairvoyant,
telepathic,
extrasensory,
preternatural,
telekinetic
Additional synonyms
in the sense of recondite
Definition
dealing with abstruse or profound subjects
Her poems are recondite in subject matter.
Synonyms
obscure,
involved,
difficult,
deep,
dark,
secret,
hidden,
mysterious,
concealed,
profound,
mystical,
esoteric,
occult,
arcane,
abstruse,
cabbalistic
in the sense of uncanny
Definition
weird or mysterious
I had this uncanny feeling that Alice was warning me.
Synonyms
weird,
strange,
mysterious,
queer (archaic),
unearthly,
eerie,
supernatural,
unnatural,
spooky (informal),
creepy (informal),
eldritch (poetic),
preternatural
in the sense of unearthly
Definition
strange, unnatural, or eerie
The sound was so serene that it seemed unearthly.
Synonyms
eerie,
strange,
supernatural,
ghostly,
weird,
phantom,
uncanny,
spooky (informal),
nightmarish,
spectral,
eldritch (poetic),
preternatural
in the sense of unknown
Definition
not known, understood, or recognized
Synonyms
hidden,
dark,
secret,
mysterious,
concealed,
untold,
unrecognized,
unrevealed
in the sense of unnatural
Definition
strange and slightly frightening because it is not usual