sectarian

1 of 2

adjective

sec·​tar·​i·​an sek-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce sectarian (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a sect or sectarian
2
: limited in character or scope : parochial
sectarianism noun

sectarian

2 of 2

noun

1
: an adherent of a sect
2
: a narrow or bigoted person

Examples of sectarian in a Sentence

Adjective The country was split along sectarian lines. there are people on both the left and the right who have staked out unyielding sectarian positions in this debate Noun charged that the work of Congress has been stymied by sectarians who are indifferent to reason and intolerant of compromise
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Advertisement World & Nation Fears of sectarian tensions rise in Lebanon as Israel expands strikes Oct. 18, 2024 How did Hezbollah get so much power in the first place? Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024 The country is built on delicate sectarian foundations, with Shiite Muslims, Sunni Muslims and Christians still sharing power from the deal that ended the civil war in 1990. James Longman, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2024
Noun
People want to get rid of religious parties, people want to put sectarians behind to build an Iraq for all Iraqis. Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2015 Both sides insist the other initiated the initial volley of gunfire that killed four agents and six sectarians. Joshua Alston, Variety, 12 Apr. 2023 See all Example Sentences for sectarian 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sectarian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sectarian was in 1649

Dictionary Entries Near sectarian

Cite this Entry

“Sectarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sectarian. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

sectarian

1 of 2 adjective
sec·​tar·​i·​an sek-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce sectarian (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a sect or sectarian
2
: not willing to consider other points of view
a sectarian mind
sectarianism noun

sectarian

2 of 2 noun
1
: a member of a sect
2
: a person who won't consider the ideas or opinions of others

More from Merriam-Webster on sectarian

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