Sect Is From Following, Not From Cutting
A sect is a religious or political subgroup. Its root is about following a leader.
A sect is a group with distinctive beliefs, usually split from a larger body. The word looks as though it should come from *secare*, to cut, matching the idea of a splinter group. It does not: the source is Latin *sequi*, to follow, so a sect is a body of followers rather than a cut-off piece. The resemblance to *section* and *dissect* is coincidental. *Sequi* also gives *sequence*, *consequence*, *pursue* and *suit* — a suit of clothes being pieces that follow one another.
- A religious subgroup. *A small sect.*
- A faction. *A political sect.*
- Sectarian. *Sectarian violence.*
- Sequi — to follow. *The root.*
- Latin — *secta*, a following. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | sect | A sect. |
| Plural | sects | Sects. |
| Adjective | sectarian | Sectarian. |
| Related | sequence | A sequence. |
| Latin | sequi | To follow. |
- The sect withdrew.Group.
- Sequi means to follow.Etymology.
- Sectarian divisions.Adjective.
The sequi family
- Sect — a body of followers
- Sequence — things following one another
- Consequence — what follows from something
- Pursue — to follow after
- Suit — a set of matching pieces that follow one another
Latin *secta*, a way or following, from *sequi*, to follow — not from *secare*, to cut.
Is sect related to section?
No. Section comes from secare, to cut; sect comes from sequi, to follow. They only look alike.
What does sect literally mean?
A following, meaning a body of people who follow a particular teaching or leader.