occult

Borrowed from Latin occultus (“hidden, secret”).

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

• Audio (AU)

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• Rhymes: -ʌlt

occult (third-person singular simple present occults, present participle occulting, simple past and past participle occulted)

1. (transitive, astronomy) To cover or hide from view.

   The Earth occults the Moon during a lunar eclipse.

2. (transitive, rare) To dissimulate, conceal, or obfuscate.

occult (comparative more occult, superlative most occult)

1. (medicine) Secret; hidden from general knowledge; undetected.

   occult blood loss; occult cancer

   • 1860, Isaac Taylor, “Mind in Form”, in Ultimate Civilization‎, page 178:

     This counter-influence is so much more conclusive […] because it is of an occult kind, and is so insensible in its advances as to escape observation.

2. Related to the occult; pertaining to mysticism, magic, or astrology.
   • 2017, Pao Chang, Word Magic: The Powers & Occult Definitions of Words, →OCLC:

     Be aware that occult knowledge can be used for good or evil purposes.

3. Esoteric.
   • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

     Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. ¶ "I never understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? I'm sure I don't want to read riddles in a strange gentleman's optics."

• occult line

occult (uncountable)

1. (usually with "the") Supernatural affairs.

• occultation
• occultive