sect
pronunciation
How to pronounce sect in British English:
UK [sekt]
How to pronounce sect in American English:
US [sɛkt]
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- Noun:
- a subdivision of a larger religious group
- a dissenting clique
Word Origin
- sect
- sect: [14] Despite its similarity to section and sector, sect has nothing to do with ‘cutting’. It comes via Old French secte from Latin secta, which denoted literally a ‘following’, hence a ‘faction of supporters’ (it was a noun use of sectus, an archaic past participle of sequī ‘follow’, from which English gets sequence, sue, etc). Set ‘group’ is ultimately the same word as sect.=> second, sequel, sequence, set, sue, suit
- sect (n.)
- mid-14c., "distinctive system of beliefs or observances; party or school within a religion," from Old French secte, sete "sect, religious community," or directly from Late Latin secta "religious group, sect in philosophy or religion," from Latin secta "manner, mode, following, school of thought," literally "a way, road, beaten path," from fem. of sectus, variant past participle of sequi "follow," from PIE *sekw- (1) "to follow" (see sequel). Confused in this sense with Latin secta, fem. past participle of secare "to cut" (see section (n.)). Meaning "separately organized religious body" is recorded from 1570s.
Example
- 1. A secretive sect fighting an ancient war to reveal explosive secrets about christianity .
- 2. Our intelligence people point out that this romney is just a businessman from an unloved minority sect .
- 3. Although reluctant to admit to an embarrassing failure of security , nigerian officials have blamed the sect .
- 4. Alawites are a sect of shiism .
- 5. All seven sect members prosecuted so far have been convicted . They received prison terms of between six and 75 years .