Sect

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

Sect, n. [L. secare, sectum, to cut.].

 A cutting; a scion.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

Sect, n. [F. secte, L. secta, fr. sequi to follow; often confused with L. secare, sectum, to cut. See Sue to follow, and cf. Sept, Suit, n.].

 Those following a particular leader or authority, or attached to a certain opinion; a company or set having a common belief or allegiance distinct from others; in religion, the believers in a particular creed, or upholders of a particular practice; especially, in modern times, a party dissenting from an established church; a denomination; in philosophy, the disciples of a particular master; a school; in society and the state, an order, rank, class, or party.  [1913 Webster]
"He beareth the sign of poverty,
And in that sect our Savior saved all mankind."  [1913 Webster]
"As of the sect of which that he was born,
He kept his lay, to which that he was sworn."  [1913 Webster]
"The cursed sect of that detestable and false prophet Mohammed."  [1913 Webster]
"As concerning this sect [Christians], we know that everywhere it is spoken against."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Sect, n.
1 a a body of people subscribing to religious doctrines usu. different from those of an established Church from which they have separated. b usu. derog. a nonconformist or other Church. c a party or faction in a religious body. d a religious denomination.
2 the followers of a particular philosopher or philosophy, or school of thought in politics etc.

Etymology

ME f. OF secte or L secta f. the stem of sequi secut- follow

THESAURUS

Sect

Babi, Babism, Bahaism, Brahmanism, Brahmoism, Buddhism, Chen Yen Buddhism, Christianity, adherents, affiliation, anthroposophy, body, branch, breakaway group, cabal, camp, caucus, church, class, clique, communion, community, confession, connection, creed, cult, denomination, disciples, division, ethnic group, faction, faith, fellowship, followers, group, interest, interest group, ism, minority group, offshoot, order, organization, party, persuasion, political party, pressure group, religious order, schism, school, school of thought, sectarism, segment, set, side, silent majority, society, splinter, splinter group, variety, version, vocal minority, wing

ROGET THESAURUS

Sect

Class

N class, division, category, categorema, head, order, section, department, subdepartment, province, domain, kind, sort, genus, species, variety, family, order, kingdom, race, tribe, caste, sept, clan, breed, type, subtype, kit, sect, set, subset, assortment, feather, kidney, suit, range, gender, sex, kin, manner, description, denomination, designation, rubric, character, stamp predicament, indication, particularization, selection, specification, similarity.