sect

1 of 2

noun

ˈsekt 

1

a

: a dissenting or schismatic religious body

especially : one regarded as extreme or heretical

b

: a religious denomination

2

archaic : sex sense 1

So is all her sect …

—William Shakespeare

3

a

: a group adhering to a distinctive doctrine or to a leader

b

: party

c

: faction

sect

2 of 2

abbreviation

section; sectional

Synonyms of sect

Noun

• faction
• party
• wing
• side

Examples of sect in a Sentence

Noun

one sect of medical researchers holds the minority view that the disease is not caused by that virus

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Ask the performers to recreate events or scenes from life in the sect with guidance and input from the ex-insiders. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026

Hood, a father of five who lives in Arkansas, is an Old Catholic priest, referring to a sect that broke with the Roman Catholic Church in the 1800s but still adheres to Catholic dogma. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Marysia’s friend who is a radical left-wing terrorist told her that Żabka is, moreover, a sect; all the employees go to evil religious camps together. — Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026

People with the second phenotype, called durable, might have grown up in a predictable world—for example, a strict religious sect or just a family that experienced little change—and developed only certain coping strategies as a result. — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English secte, from Anglo-French & Late Latin & Latin; Anglo-French, group, faction, from Late Latin secta organized ecclesiastical body, from Latin, course of action, way of life, probably from sectari to pursue, frequentative of sequi to follow — more at sue

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for sect

• checked
• decked
• flecked
• hecht
• necked
• pecked
• trekked
• wrecked
• affect
• aspect
• bedecked
• bisect

Kids Definition

sect

noun

ˈsekt

1

a

: a religious group having beliefs that differ greatly from those of the main body

b

: a religious body consisting of members having similar beliefs

2

a

: a group of people having the same beliefs or following the same leader

b

: party sense 1

c

: faction