secession

American  

[si-sesh-uhn] / sɪˈsɛʃ ən /

noun

1. an act or instance of seceding.

2. (often initial capital letter) the withdrawal from the Union of 11 Southern states in the period 1860–61, which brought on the Civil War.

3. (usually initial capital letter) a style of art in Germany and Austria concurrent with and related to Art Nouveau.

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secession British  

/ sɪˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. the act of seceding

2. (often capital) the withdrawal in 1860–61 of 11 Southern states from the Union to form the Confederacy, precipitating the American Civil War

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secession Cultural  

1. The withdrawal from the United States of eleven southern states in 1860 and 1861. The seceding states formed a government, the Confederacy, in early 1861. Hostilities against the remaining United States, the Union, began in April 1861 (see Fort Sumter), and the Civil War followed.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsecession
  noun
• nonsecessional
  adjective
• secessional
  adjective
• secessionism
  noun
• secessionist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of secession

1525–35; < Latin sēcessiōn- (stem of sēcessiō ) withdrawal, equivalent to sēcess ( us ) (past participle of sēcēdere to secede; see cession) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

The noun secession refers to a big break-up — a formal split, an official “Good-bye to you!” — among political entities. If France has really, truly had it with the European Union, then a French secession movement may be in order. You could think of secession as a kind of divorce for governments, an official and often lasting split between an alliance, federation, or other political group. Secession is the noun version of the verb secede (meaning to withdraw from an organization), and when a secession takes place the group doing the seceding makes a formal departure from the original group. A famous example of political secession happened right before the American Civil War, when eleven southern states withdrew from the U.S. government over the issue of slavery.

Example Sentences

Lady with a Fan is among the very few portraits by Klimt, a leading figure of the Vienna Secession art movement, to be owned privately.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2023

Her 2021-22 show at Vienna’s Secession exhibition space made a particular impression on him.

From New York Times • Apr. 10, 2023

Secession is not the ultimate goal of the initiative, Burum said.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2022

As a member of the Mississippi Secession Convention, he signed the Ordinance of Secession.”

From Washington Times • Jun. 12, 2020

We have heard them threaten to secede so often that I formed an enthusiastic organization— The American Friends for Texas Secession.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• breakaway
• breakup
• separation