Occult. The\xa0occult\xa0(from the Latin word occultus \u201cclandestine, hidden, secret\u201d) is \u201cknowledge of the hidden.\u201d In common English usage,\xa0occult\xa0refers to \u201cknowledge of the paranormal,\u201d as opposed to \u201cknowledge of the measurable,\u201d usually referred to as science.