occult

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈkʌlt/ UK /ɒˈkʌlt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
relating to supernatural or mystical forces; hidden from ordinary view

He spent years studying occult texts in the dim corners of old libraries.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · relating to supernatural or... mystical esoteric supernatural arcane hidden mysterious secret

Opposites

revealed manifest overt exoteric obvious

Word family

Derived forms occultismoccultistoccultation

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

occult lore
Traditional knowledge or beliefs concerning hidden, magical, or supernatural matters.

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Occult entered English in the late Middle English period and has its root in Latin celare, “to hide,” which descends from an ancient Indo-European root meaning “cover” or “hide.”

Etymology

From Latin occultus ('hidden, concealed, secret'), past participle of occulere ('to cover over, conceal'), from ob- plus a verb related to celare ('to hide').

occultus Latin celare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# occult

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /əˈkʌlt/
**IPA (UK):** /ɒˈkʌlt/

## Meanings
1. relating to supernatural or mystical forces; hidden from ordinary view

## Examples
- He spent years studying occult texts in the dim corners of old libraries.

## Synonyms
- mystical
- esoteric
- supernatural
- arcane
- hidden
- mysterious
- secret

## Antonyms
- revealed
- manifest
- overt
- exoteric
- obvious

## Derived Forms
- occultism
- occultist
- occultation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: occultus
- Root: celare

## Etymology
From Latin occultus ('hidden, concealed, secret'), past participle of occulere ('to cover over, conceal'), from ob- plus a verb related to celare ('to hide').

## AI Etymology
Occult comes from Latin occultus ('hidden, concealed, secret'), past participle of occulere ('to cover over, conceal'), from ob- plus a verb related to celare ('to hide'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As an adjective and noun, it carries the sense "relating to supernatural or mystical forces; hidden from ordinary view", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin occultus and Latin celare. Derivative forms include occultism, occultist, occultation.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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