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

Additionally, the community where measles is spreading has been the home of a sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a group that had a charismatic leader named Warren Jeffs who sowed distrust in vaccines. —Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026

In this way, Paul turned the heresy of a tiny sect of Messianic Jews into the dominant religious and cultural architecture of the West for the next couple of thousand years. —Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026

It's been four years since Christine Marie and Tolga Katas infiltrated Samuel Bateman's polygamist sect while working on a documentary — a daring move that would eventually lead to his conviction. —Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026

Netflix has become the place for documentaries about true crime, but also documentaries about cults and sects. —Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 10 Apr. 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