Word: occult (adjective, noun, verb)

Associations

The word "occult" relates to things that are mysterious, hidden, or beyond ordinary understanding, often connected with magic, supernatural, or secret knowledge.

• As an adjective: "She has an interest in occult practices." Here, it means related to secret or mystical knowledge.
• As a noun: "He studies the occult." It means knowledge or practices involving magic or the supernatural.
• As a verb (less common): "The moon occulted the star." In astronomy, it means to hide or cover something, like one object blocking another. Synonym: "mysterious" is a common synonym, but "occult" often implies secret or supernatural elements, while "mysterious" can be more general and less about hidden knowledge.

Substitution

Depending on context, you can use:

• "hidden" or "secret" when talking about unknown or concealed things.
• "supernatural" when referring to magical or mystical elements.
• "eclipse" or "hide" in astronomy, instead of "occult" as a verb. Changing the word can make the meaning less about magic or secrecy and more general.

Deconstruction

The word "occult" comes from Latin "occultus," meaning "hidden, secret," from "occulere," meaning "to cover or hide."

• Prefix "oc-" means "toward" or "against."
• Root "culere" means "to cover." So, "occult" literally means "covered" or "hidden," which fits its meaning about secret or mysterious things.

Inquiry

• Can you think of any stories or movies where the occult plays a big role?
• How would you explain the difference between something "occult" and something just "mysterious"?
• Have you ever encountered something that felt "hidden" or "secret" like the occult? What was it?