schism

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   division of a group into opposing factions

   Another schism like that and they will wind up in bankruptcy.

Simplified etymology

Schism entered English in the late Middle Ages and ultimately comes from Greek skhisma, “cleft,” from skhizein, “to split.” The same Greek verb contributed to schizophrenia and to schist, a rock that readily splits into layers.

From Middle English scisme, from Old French cisme or scisme, from Ancient Greek σχίσμα (skhísma, “division”), from σχίζω (skhízō, “I split”). Doublet of schisma. Compare chasm. This word was historically pronounced /ˈsɪzəm/ (and still is among the clergy); the pronunciations /ˈʃɪzəm/, /ˈskɪzəm/ are due to the spelling (the latter may have been reinforced by learned influence); compare schedule.

Topics

External links

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