occult
Beyond normal detection
Occult refers to supernatural beliefs, practices, or phenomena—magic, astrology, alchemy, divination, and communication with spirits.
The word carries a sense of secret knowledge hidden from ordinary understanding: She developed an interest in the occult after her grandmother's death.
As an adjective, occult means hidden or concealed, especially in technical contexts: an occult fracture is one not visible on initial X-rays, and occult blood is detectable only through testing.
To occult something is to hide or eclipse it—one celestial body occults another when passing in front of it.
Foretelling through mystical means
- tarotDivination card set
- auraPerceived emanation surrounding someone
- chakrasBody's spiritual focal points
- clairvoyanceExtrasensory perception ability
psychic · astral projection · transcendence · third eye · crystal ball · scrying · palmistry · numerology
Modern pagan witchcraft religion
- covenAssembly of witches
- pentacleEncircled five-pointed star
- hexMalevolent incantation
- curseInvoked harm through words
spell · grimoire · Book of Shadows · familiar · cauldron · broomstick · black magic · white magic
Understood by few
- crypticObscure in meaning
- abstruseDifficult to comprehend
- reconditeObscure and specialized
- inscrutableImpossible to understand
hermetic · cabalistic · sibylline · oracular · arcana · veiled · enigmatic · obscure
Spirits of the deceased
- demonsMalevolent supernatural beings
- spiritsLiquor or apparitions
- possessionState of owning
- exorcismRitual to expel demons
necromancy · apparition · poltergeist · haunting · specter · phantom · vampires · werewolves
Formal event marking occasions
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- séanceSpirit communication ritual
- summoningCalling forth deliberately
- pentagramFive-pointed mystical star
conjuring · sacrifice · chanting · invocation · evocation · sigil · candle magic · altar
Made invisible deliberately
- latentPresent but inactive
- shroudedCovered and hidden
- veiledConcealed or obscured
- obscuredMade hard to perceive
unseen · covert · cloaked · masked · secret · buried · invisible · undetected
Complete change of form
- elixirMythical healing draught
- philosopher's stoneLegendary substance enabling transmutation
- hermeticismAirtight, impervious condition
- alembicDistillation apparatus
crucible · quintessence · magnum opus · homunculus · tincture · calcination · distillation · conjunction
divination
Foretelling through mystical means
- tarotDivination card set
- auraPerceived emanation surrounding someone
- chakrasBody's spiritual focal points
clairvoyance · psychic · astral projection · transcendence · third eye · crystal ball · scrying · palmistry · numerology · I Ching
Wicca
Modern pagan witchcraft religion
curse · spell · grimoire · Book of Shadows · familiar · cauldron · broomstick · black magic · white magic · warlock
arcane
Understood by few
inscrutable · hermetic · cabalistic · sibylline · oracular · arcana · veiled · enigmatic · obscure · mysteries
ghosts
Spirits of the deceased
- demonsMalevolent supernatural beings
- spiritsLiquor or apparitions
- possessionState of owning
exorcism · necromancy · apparition · poltergeist · haunting · specter · phantom · vampires · werewolves · telekinesis
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- séanceSpirit communication ritual
- summoningCalling forth deliberately
pentagram · conjuring · sacrifice · chanting · invocation · evocation · sigil · candle magic · altar · chalice
concealed
Made invisible deliberately
obscured · unseen · covert · cloaked · masked · secret · buried · invisible · undetected · submerged
transmutation
Complete change of form
- elixirMythical healing draught
- philosopher's stoneLegendary substance enabling transmutation
- hermeticismAirtight, impervious condition
alembic · crucible · quintessence · magnum opus · homunculus · tincture · calcination · distillation · conjunction · fermentation
druid
Ancient Celtic priest-scholar
Samhain · neopagan · polytheism · animism · nature worship · Celtic · Norse · heathen · pantheism · goddess worship
- horrorhorror, terror, fear, dread, haunted
- supernaturalghosts, ghost, witches, spirits, vampire
- Victorianaseances, Dickens, spiritualism, Sherlock Holmes, phrenology
- witchcraftwitch, spell, spellwork, witches, spells
- beliefsbelief, beliefs, creed, creeds, faith
- Gothic horrorghost story, haunted houses, Dracula, vampires, Frankenstein
occultunderstandable
Able to be grasped
intelligible · comprehensible · fathomable · clear · transparent
- occult symbolsSigns with hidden meanings
- occult knowledgeSecret supernatural learning
- occult practicesRituals involving hidden powers
- occult ritualsHidden supernatural ceremonies
- occult symbolismHidden meaning in sacred signs
- occult traditionsSecretive spiritual practices