sect

noun

SEKT/sɛkt/

Pluralsects

4 meanings of sect

1
nouncountable
A smaller group that breaks away from a bigger religion.
Like a branch that grows out from the main trunk of a tree.
A new sect formed after the group split from the main church.
Several sects share the same holy book but worship in different ways.
Similarfaction, denomination, cult
Note
2
nouncountable
A group of people who follow one leader or a strong belief.
Like a fan club built around one person everyone looks up to.
The sect gathered every evening to hear their leader speak.
Online sects can grow fast around a single popular figure.
Similarfaction, cult, camp, circle, school
Note
3
nounhistoricaluncountable
In old astrology, a way of sorting stars and planets into daytime ones and nighttime ones.
Like splitting players into a day team and a night team.
Astrologers checked a planet's sect before judging its strength in a chart.
Whether a planet rose by day or night decided its sect.
Note

Less common meaning

4
nounobsolete
A small piece cut from a plant so a new one can be grown.
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin secta, meaning a school or group in philosophy or religion. It may come from a word meaning 'to follow.'