sectarianism

C2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /sekˈter.i.ə.nɪ.zəm/ UK /sekˈteə.ri.ə.nɪ.zəm/ See IPA manual

Freq #132759

Meanings

1

noun
rigid or exclusive loyalty to a religious, political, or ideological group, especially when it causes hostility toward other groups

The peace initiative tried to replace sectarianism with cooperation across religious communities.
2

noun
a political system that distributes power or public offices among religious sects

The constitution institutionalized sectarianism by reserving senior offices for particular religious communities.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · rigid or exclusive loyalty... factionalismdenominationalismpartisanship

2 noun · a political system that... confessionalismcommunalism

Opposites

pluralismecumenismnonsectarianism

Word family

Derived forms anti-sectarianismunsectarianism

Related forms sectarian sectfactionalism

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

religious sectarianism
a narrow and exclusive attachment to one religious group or denomination

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From sectarian + -ism. Sectarian derives from sect, through Latin secta ("a following, school, or party"), traditionally associated with sequi ("to follow"). The word came to denote excessive attachment to one's own religious or political division and the conflict produced by that attachment.

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# sectarianism

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /sekˈter.i.ə.nɪ.zəm/
**IPA (UK):** /sekˈteə.ri.ə.nɪ.zəm/
**Frequency rank:** 132759

## Meanings
1. rigid or exclusive loyalty to a religious, political, or ideological group, especially when it causes hostility toward other groups
2. a political system that distributes power or public offices among religious sects

## Examples
- The peace initiative tried to replace sectarianism with cooperation across religious communities.
- The constitution institutionalized sectarianism by reserving senior offices for particular religious communities.

## Synonyms
- factionalism
- denominationalism
- partisanship
- confessionalism

## Antonyms
- pluralism
- ecumenism
- nonsectarianism

## Derived Forms
- anti-sectarianism
- unsectarianism

## Related Forms
- sectarian
- sect
- factionalism

## Etymology
From sectarian + -ism. Sectarian derives from sect, through Latin secta ("a following, school, or party"), traditionally associated with sequi ("to follow"). The word came to denote excessive attachment to one's own religious or political division and the conflict produced by that attachment.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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