occult

8 synonyms and 4 antonyms for occult, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adj — Relating to magic, mysticism, or supernatural practices.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

secret

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

supernatural eclipse mysterious mystical mystic

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

occult arts orphic

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adj

Relating to magic, mysticism, or supernatural practices.

“She kept a collection of books on occult rituals.”

supernatural eclipse occult arts mysterious mystical secret mystic orphic

2. adj

Hidden from ordinary knowledge or view.

“His illness had occult symptoms that were hard to diagnose.”

Opposites

exposed plain open familiar

3. verb

To hide or block from view.

“The moon occulted the star for several minutes.”

eclipse

4. noun

Supernatural beliefs, practices, or phenomena, considered as a whole.

“He became fascinated by the occult after reading about tarot.”

supernatural

How to use occult

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

occult practices the occult occult symbols

Etymology

From Latin occultus, "hidden, secret", past participle of occulere, related to celare, "to hide" — the same root as "conceal".

Full origin of occult →

Frequently asked questions

What does “occult” mean?

The word “occult” means relating to magic, mysticism, or supernatural practices. In plain terms, something hidden or secret, especially relating to magic and the supernatural.

How do you pronounce “occult”?

“Occult” is pronounced OK-uhlt (/əˈkʌlt/ in IPA).

How do you use “occult” in a sentence?

Here is “occult” used in a sentence: “She kept a collection of books on occult rituals.”

What part of speech is “occult”?

Depending on how it is used, “occult” can be an adjective, a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “occult” come from?

The word “occult” comes from Latin. From Latin occultus, "hidden, secret", past participle of occulere, related to celare, "to hide" — the same root as "conceal".

Is “occult” a common word?

“Occult” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “occult” have?

“Occult” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to magic, mysticism, or supernatural practices.

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open secret familiar exposed plain mysterious supernatural eclipse mystical mystic

Nearby words

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