100 Examples of Cults

The cultisms are words that come from the classical languages, Latin and Greek, and that, unlike other terms, passed into Spanish with a meaning equal to or similar to the original and without undergoing drastic changes in terms of writing and language. pronunciation. For example: young, comedy, lexicon.

Generally, the inclusion of cultisms in Spanish occurred because the writers wanted to modify the poetic language using some classic terms or because the specialists from different disciplines resorted to ancient texts to take words or create new ones that designated concepts or objects that had no name in the language Romance.

However, the introduction of cultisms in Spanish varies depending on the language of origin:

Many grammarians consider that these terms should be distinguished from the latinisms and of the hellenisms, because the latter are foreign words and because they do not have the same adaptation process as cultisms.

However, other specialists on the subject consider that the border is somewhat blurred, because the Cultisms began as Latinisms or Hellenisms that later became terms of the language Spanish.

Cultisms and heritage words

The cultisms differ from the patrimonial words, because they entered from literary, legal, scientific and ecclesiastics long after Spanish emerged as a language, because they only underwent a few transformations to adapt to the spelling rules and phonetic and because, generally, they preserved their meaning.

Instead, heritage words evolved from spoken Vulgar Latin to Spanish without temporary interruptions and changed so much in terms of meaning, writing and pronunciation that they ended up being very different from the words Latinos.

Although most of the words that are used on a daily basis are heritage words, there are a large number of cultisms that are used daily, because they entered Spanish and passed into the common language several centuries or years.

examples of cultism

Examples of cultisms from Latin

If the terms were introduced into Spanish with the same meaning that they have in Latin, only the word they come from is indicated. If the meaning is different, it is specified what the word refers to in the classical language.

1. Abject. comes from the Latin word abiectus.
2. Adversity. comes from the Latin word adverse.
3. Album. comes from the Latin word album, which means whitewashed board with plaster.
4. Alien. comes from the Latin word alien, which means foreigner (at first in Spanish it was used with that meaning).
5. Haughty. comes from the Latin word lofty, which means elevated.
6. Article. comes from the Latin word articles, which means part.
7. Classroom. comes from the Latin word classroom, which referred to certain places where ceremonies were held.
8. Authority. comes from the Latin word auctoritas.
9. Benefit. comes from the Latin word beneficium.
10. Benevolent. comes from the Latin word benevŏlus.
11. Cactus. comes from the Latin word Cactus, which means thistle.
12. Warm. comes from the Latin word calĭdus.
13. Chapter. comes from the Latin word capital.
14. Cause. comes from the Latin word cause.
15. Contest. comes from the Latin word contest.
16. Sure. When it was introduced into Spanish, it was used in poetry with the meaning of illustrious and comes from the Latin term clarus.
17. Place. comes from the Latin word collocate.
18. consciousness. comes from the Latin word aware.
19. To consider. When it was introduced into Spanish, it was used in poetry as a synonym for the verb to look and comes from the Latin term I will consider.
20. Gullible. comes from the Latin word credulus.
21. Tenth. comes from the Latin word decimus.
22. Discipline. comes from the Latin word discipline, which means knowledge or instruction.
23. Building. comes from the Latin word aedificium.
24. Study. When it was introduced into Spanish, it was used in poetry with the meaning of interest and comes from the Latin term study.
25. Exam. comes from the Latin word exam, whose meaning is the action of examining or weighing.
26. Factory. comes from the Latin word factory, whose meaning is trade or workshop.
27. Fable. comes from the Latin word fable.
28. Favour. comes from the Latin word favour.
29. Fortune. comes from the Latin word Fortune.
30. People. comes from the Latin word genes, which means town.
31. Germ. comes from the Latin word germ.
32. Hostile. comes from the Latin word hostilis.
33. Momentum. comes from the Latin word impetus.
34. Young. comes from the Latin word iuvĕnis.
35. July. comes from the Latin word Julius, the name of Julius Caesar, and was introduced into Spanish with the same meaning.
36. Legal. comes from the Latin word legalis.
37. Magnificent. comes from the Latin word magnificent.
38. Sea. comes from the Latin word sea.
39. Monster. comes from the Latin word monster, which refers to a supernatural being.
40. Surf. comes from the Latin word navigate.
41. Paternal. comes from the Latin word paternalis.
42. Flat. comes from the Latin word plane.
43. Privilege. comes from the Latin word privilege.
44. Fast. comes from the Latin word rapĭdus.
45. Ruin. comes from the Latin word ruin.
46. Tomb. comes from the Latin word sepulcrum.
47. Testimony. comes from the Latin word testimony.
48. Title. comes from the Latin word titlelus.
49. Vigil. comes from the Latin word vigil.
50. Virus. comes from the Latin word virus, which in classical language meant poison.

Examples of cultisms from the Greek

If the terms were introduced into English with the same meaning they have in ancient Greek, only the word they come from is indicated. If the meaning is different, it is specified what the word refers to in the classical language. In addition, if necessary, it is indicated if the terms passed through Latin or another language before being introduced into Spanish or if they are new words formed with elements from the Greek.

1. Chard. It comes from a term of the Arabic language, which derived from the Greek term σικελή (sikelḗ).
2. Agony. comes from the Greek word ἀγωνία (agony), which means fight.
3. Alphabet. comes from the Latin word alphabetum, which comes from the Greek word ἀλφάβητος (alphabets).
4. Starch. comes from the Greek word ἄμυλον (amylon), which refers to a type of bread.
5. Aloe. comes from the Latin word aloe, which comes from the Greek word ἀλόη (aloe).
6. Analysis. comes from the Greek word ἀνάλυσις (analysis).
7. Anemia. comes from the Greek word ἀναιμία (anaimía), whose meaning is lack of blood.
8. Anthropology. comes from the Greek word ἀνθρωπολόγος (anthropologists), which refers to talking about the human being.
9. arachnophobia. It is a term formed by two Greek elements: ἀράχνη (árachnē), meaning spider, and -φοβία (-phobia), which means fear or hate.
10. Smell. comes from the Latin word smell, which comes from the Greek word ἄρωμα (smell), whose meaning is good smell.
11. Artery. comes from the Latin word artery, which comes from the Greek word ἀρτηρία (artery).
12. osteoarthritis. comes from the Greek word ἄρθρωσις (arthrosis), which means articulation.
13. Atom. comes from the Latin word atŏmus, which comes from the Greek word ἄτομον (atom), whose meaning is something that cannot be divided.
14. Autonomy. comes from the Greek word αὐτονομία (autonomy).
15. Bibliography. It is a term formed by two elements from the Greek: βιβλιο- (biblio-), which means book, and -γραφία (spelling), which means writing.
16. Joke. comes from the Greek word βρῶμα (joke), which refers to heavy elements.
17. Chaos. comes from the Latin word bye, which comes from the Greek word χάος (chaos), whose meaning is disordered abyss.
18. Cardiac. comes from the Greek word καρδιακός (kardiakós).
19. Comedy. comes from the Latin word commodity, which comes from the Greek word κωμῳδία (kōmōidia).
20. Cube. comes from the Latin word cubes, which comes from the Greek word for κύβος (kybos), whose meaning is given to play.
21. Dialect. comes from the Latin word dialectus, which comes from the Greek word διάλεκτος (dialects).
22. Diameter. comes from the Latin word diameter, which comes from the Greek word διάμετρος (diameters).
23. Didactic. comes from the Greek word διδακτικός (didaktikós).
24. Ellipse. comes from the Greek word ἔλλειψις (elleipsis).
25. Enigma. comes from the Latin word puzzle, which comes from the Greek word αἴνιγμα (ainigma), whose meaning is a difficult word to understand.
26. Gangrene. comes from the Latin word gangraene, which comes from the Greek word γάγγραινα (ganggrain), whose meaning is putrefaction.
27. Hypocrite. comes from the Latin word hypocrite, which comes from the Greek word ὑποκριτής (hypokritḗs), whose meaning is actor.
28. Homeopathy. It is a term formed by two elements from the Greek: ὁμοιο- (homoio-), which means similar, and -πάθεια (-pathia), which means experiment.
29. Idea. comes from the Latin word idea, which comes from the Greek word ἰδέα (idea).
30. Labyrinth. comes from the Latin word labyrinthus, which comes from the Greek word λαβύρινθος (labyrinthos).
31. Lexicon. comes from the Greek word λεξικός (lexicos).
32. Logarithm. It is a term formed by two elements from the Greek: λόγος (logos), which means reason, and ἀριθμός (arithmos), which means number.
33. Microphone. It is a term formed by the union of two Greek elements: μικρο- (micro-), meaning small, and –φωνο (-phone), which means sound.
34. Microscope. It is a term formed by elements from the Greek: μικρο- (micro-), which means small, and σκοπεῖν (skopein), which means to observe.
35. Morphology. It is a term formed by the union of two Greek elements: μορφο- (morpho-), which means shape, and -λογία (-lodge), which means study.
36. Pneumonia. comes from the Latin word pneumoniae, which comes from the Greek word πνευμονία (pneumonia).
37. Neurosis. It is a term formed by two elements from the Greek: νεῦρον (neuron), meaning nerve, and -σις (-sis), meaning action or state.
38. Ophthalmology. It is a term formed by the union of two Greek elements: ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmos), which means eye, and -λογία (-lodge), which means study.
39. Oligarchy. comes from the Greek word ὀλιγαρχία (oligarchy).
40. Prosody. comes from the Latin word prosody, which comes from the Greek word προσῳδία (prosōidy).
41. Psychology. It is a term formed by the union of two Greek elements: ψυχο- (psycho-), which means soul, and -λογία (-lodge), which means study.
42. Psoriasis. It is a term formed by different elements from the Greek: ψώρα (psra), meaning scabies; the suffix -ία (-ía), which means quality; and the suffix -σις (-sis), meaning action or state.
43. Rhythm. comes from the Latin word rhythmus, which comes from the Greek word ῥυθμός (rythmos), whose meaning is recurrent motion.
44. synapse. comes from the Greek word σύναψις (synapse), whose meaning is link.
45. Syntax. comes from the Greek word σύνταξις (syntax), whose meaning is with order.
46. Symptom. comes from the Latin word symptom, which comes from the Greek word σύμπτωμα (symptom).
47. Telepathy. It is a term formed by two Greek elements: τηλε- (TV-), which means far away, and -πάθεια (-pathia), which means experiment.
48. Thermometer. It is a term formed by elements from the Greek: θερμο- (thermo-), which means hot, and μέτρον (metron), which means measure.
49. Tragedy. comes from the Latin word tragoedia, which comes from the Greek word τραγῳδία (tragoidy).
50. Zoology. It is a term formed by elements from the Greek: ζωο- (zoo-), which means animal, and -λογία (-lodge), which means study.

References:

• Azofra Sierra, M. AND. (2006). Considerations on the concept of cultism. Journal of Romance Philology, 23, 229-240. Retrieved on April 21, 2022, from https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/RFRM/article/view/RFRM0606110229A
• Benitez Claros, R. (1959). Classification of cultisms. Archivum: Magazine of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, 9, 216-227. Retrieved on April 21, 2022, from https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo? code=910339
• Eat, C. (2016). The cultisms in the Spanish of the 19th century. PHILOLOGY, XXVI(1), 29-41.
• Cultism. (s.f.). In Online Spanish Etymological Dictionary. Retrieved on April 20, 2022 from http://etimologias.dechile.net/?cultismo
• Garcia Valle, A. (1992). Again on the concepts of 'Latinism', 'cultism' and 'semi-cultism', in light of the new data. Yearbook of Philological Studies, 15, 89-96. Retrieved on April 21, 2022, from https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo? code=58748

Dictionaries used:

• Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy
• Online Spanish Etymological Dictionary
• Perseus Greek-English Dictionary
• Perseus Latin-English Dictionary
• Pabon S. de Urbina, Jose M. (2013). Classical Greek-Spanish Manual. Bilingual dictionary: with grammatical appendix. Vox.
• Vox. (2006). Illustrated Latin Dictionary. Latin-Spanish / Spanish-Latin. Vox/Spes.

It can serve you: