0%

cargo cult

car·go cult
C c

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [kahr-goh kuhlt]
    • /ˈkɑr goʊ kʌlt/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [kahr-goh kuhlt]
    • /ˈkɑr goʊ kʌlt/

Definitions of cargo cult words

  • noun cargo cult a religious movement of the SW Pacific, characterized by expectation of the return of spirits in ships or aircraft carrying goods that will provide for the needs of the followers 3
  • noun cargo cult a quasi-religious cult among some South Sea islanders, based on a belief that the spirits of their ancestors will return with supplies of modern goods, thus inaugurating a golden age of prosperity and, sometimes, liberation from colonial domination 3
  • noun cargo cult any of various native religious cults of a millenarian and messianic character located in the southwestern Pacific islands, holding that spirits will bring large cargoes of modern goods for distribution among its adherents. 1
  • noun cargo cult Any of several unorthodox religious movements among the people of Melanesia based upon Western manufactured goods. 0
  • noun cargo cult (figuratively) Any of several philosophies or pseudosciences that are not rooted in experiment. 0

Information block about the term

Origin of cargo cult

First appearance:

before 1945
One of the 6% newest English words
First recorded in 1945-50

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Cargo cult

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

cargo cult popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 32% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
According to our data about 58% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

cargo cult usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

See also

Matching words

Was this page helpful?
Yes No
Thank you for your feedback! Tell your friends about this page
Tell us why?