faction

1 of 3

noun

fac·​tion ˈfak-shən 

1

: a party or group (as within a government) that is often contentious or self-seeking : clique

The committee soon split into factions.

2

: party spirit especially when marked by dissension

Faction, or the irreconcilable conflict of parties …

—Ernest Barker

factional

ˈfak-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

factionalism

ˈfak-sh(ə-)nə-ˌli-zəm 

noun

factionally

ˈfak-sh(ə-)nəl-ē 

adverb

-faction

2 of 3

noun combining form

: making : -fication

petrifaction

factional

3 of 3

adjective

fac·​tion·​al ˈfakshənᵊl 

-shnəl

1

: of or relating to a faction

a factional leader

2

a

: characterized by faction

b

: occurring between factions

factional disputes within the party

factionalism

-ᵊlˌizəm 

-əˌli-

noun

plural -s

factionally

-ᵊl|ē 

-əl|ē, 

|i

adverb

Synonyms of faction

Noun

• party
• side
• wing
• sect
• coalition
• team
• bloc

Examples of faction in a Sentence

Noun

The committee soon split into factions.

several factions within the environmental movement have joined forces to save this wilderness area

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban. — Abdul Qahar Afghan, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026

The Democrats’ evolution left many in their old factions, including Archie, to defect from the party. — Alex Rosado, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 June 2026

Both political factions’ cronies continually flatter and lie to them about how things are going. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026

Ultranationalist factions, once allied with Britain’s Euroskeptics, have come to the fore across the Continent. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French faccion, borrowed from Latin factiōn-, factiō "act of making, social set, band, group, self-seeking political group," from facere "to make, bring about, place, classify" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at fact

Note: A doublet of faction is fashion entry 1, from the Gallo-Romance outcome of Latin factiō, which maintains only the meaning "act of making," sparsely attested outside of early Latin except in legal use.

Noun combining form

borrowed from Latin -factiōn-, -factiō (as in satisfactiōn-, satisfactiō satisfaction)

First Known Use

Noun

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1629, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for faction

• action
• faction
• fraction
• traction
• abstraction
• attraction
• compaction
• contraction
• detraction
• diffraction
• benefaction
• counteraction

Kids Definition

faction

noun

fac·​tion ˈfak-shən 

: a group acting together within a larger body (as a government) : clique

factional

-shnəl 

-shən-ᵊl

adjective

factionalism

-ˌiz-əm 

noun