sect

sect  (skt)

n.

1. A group of people forming a distinct unit within a larger group by virtue of certain refinements or distinctions of belief or practice.

2. A religious body, especially one that has separated from a larger denomination.

3. A faction united by common interests or beliefs.

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[Middle English secte, from Old French, from Latin secta, course, school of thought, from feminine past participle of sequ, to follow; see sek^w-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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sect

Noun

1. a subdivision of a larger religious or political group, esp. one regarded as extreme in its beliefs or practices

2. a group of people with a common interest or philosophy [Latin secta faction]

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Sect the group of people who follow a particular creed or embrace a certain set of opinions or rituals.

Examples: sect of astronomers, 1837; of atheists, 1692; of flatterers and Hostlers, 1515; of Lollards, 1390; of men of letters, 1776; of old maids, 1788; of pathologists and theorists, 1843; of philosophers; of physicians, 1628; of thieves and murderers, 1568; of writers, 1609.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	sect - a subdivision of a larger religious group religious order, religious sect sisterhood - a religious society of women who live together as sisters (especially an order of nuns) organized religion, religion, faith - an institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own faith contradicted him" Albigenses, Cathari, Cathars - a Christian religious sect in southern France in the 12th and 13th centuries; believers in Albigensianism High Anglican Church, High Church - a group in the Anglican Church that emphasizes the Catholic tradition (especially in sacraments and rituals and obedience to church authority) Abecedarian - a 16th century sect of Anabaptists centered in Germany who had an absolute disdain for human knowledge Amish sect - an orthodox Anabaptist sect separated from the Mennonites in late 17th century; settled chiefly in southeastern Pennsylvania Karaites - a Jewish sect that recognizes only the Hebrew Scriptures as the source of divinely inspired legislation and denies the authority of the postbiblical tradition of the Talmud; the sect arose in Iraq in the eighth century Shia, Shiah, Shiah Islam - one of the two main branches of orthodox Islam; mainly in Iran Sunni Islam, Sunni - one of the two main branches of orthodox Islam Shivaism, Sivaism - a Hindu sect worshiping Shiva Saktism, Shaktism - a Hindu sect worshiping Shakti Vaishnavism, Vaisnavism - Hindu sect worshiping of Vishnu Haredi - any of several sects of Orthodox Judaism that reject modern secular culture and many of whom do not recognize the spiritual authority of the modern state of Israel International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON, Hare Krishna - a religious sect founded in the United States in 1966; based on Vedic scriptures; groups engage in joyful chanting of `Hare Krishna' and other mantras based on the name of the Hindu god Krishna; devotees usually wear saffron robes and practice vegetarianism and celibacy Jainism - sect founded in the 6th century BC as a revolt against Hinduism Taoism - a Chinese sect claiming to follow the teaching of Lao-tzu but incorporating pantheism and sorcery in addition to Taoism Kokka, Kokka Shinto - the branch of Shinto recognized as the official state religion of Japan Shua, Shuha Shinto - any branch of Shinto other than Kokka brethren - (plural) the lay members of a male religious order monastic order, order - a group of person living under a religious rule; "the order of Saint Benedict" Quakers, Religious Society of Friends, Society of Friends - a Christian sect founded by George Fox about 1660; commonly called Quakers Shakers, United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing - a celibate and communistic Christian sect in the United States Vaudois, Waldenses - a Christian sect of dissenters that originated in southern France in the late 12th century adopted Calvinist doctrines in the 16th century Zurvanism - a Zoroastrian sect that claims Zurvan was the ultimate source of the universe convent - a community of people in a religious order (especially nuns) living together
	2.	sect - a dissenting clique faction clique, coterie, ingroup, inner circle, camp, pack - an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose splinter group - a faction or sect that has broken away from its parent organization left wing, left - those who support varying degrees of social or political or economic change designed to promote the public welfare right wing, right - those who support political or social or economic conservatism; those who believe that things are better left unchanged old guard - a faction that is unwilling to accept new ideas pro-choice faction - those who argue that the decision to have an induced abortion should be made by the mother pro-life faction - those who argue that induced abortion is killing and should be prohibited

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sect

noun group, division, faction, party, school, camp, wing, denomination, school of thought, schism, splinter group

Translations

sect [sɛkt] n → secta

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sect [sɛkt] n → secte f

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sect [sɛkt] n → Sekte f

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sect [sɛkt] n → setta