faction

¹ American  

[fak-shuhn] / ˈfæk ʃən /

noun

1. a group or clique within a larger group, party, government, organization, or the like, typically having different opinions and interests than the larger group.

   a faction in favor of big business; rival factions within the company.

2. party strife and intrigue; dissension.

   an era of faction and treason.

   Synonyms:

   friction, split, schism, disagreement, discord

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faction ² American  

[fak-shuhn] / ˈfæk ʃən /

noun

Informal.

1. a form of writing or filmmaking that treats real people or events as if they were fictional or uses them as an integral part of a fictional account.

2. a novel, film, play, or other presentation in this form.

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faction ¹ British  

/ ˈfækʃən /

noun

1. a group of people forming a minority within a larger body, esp a dissentious group

2. strife or dissension within a group

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faction ² British  

/ ˈfækʃən /

noun

1. a television programme, film, or literary work comprising a dramatized presentation of actual events

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faction Cultural  

1. A group formed to seek some goal within a political party or a government. The term suggests quarrelsome dissent from the course pursued by the party or government majority: “His administration is moderate, but it contains a faction of extremists.”

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Other Word Forms

• factional
  adjective
• factionalism
  noun
• factionalist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of faction¹

First recorded in 1500–10; < Latin factiōn- (stem of factiō ) “a doing, company, division,” equivalent to fact(us) “done, made” ( see fact) + -iōn- -ion

Origin of faction²

1965–70; blend of fact and fiction

Explanation

Fractions are smaller parts of whole numbers: one-quarter, one-tenth, one-half, and a faction is a smaller portion of a larger group that breaks away from it. A faction might take a fraction of the people from a large group and start a new group. The Latin source of the word faction means to "do" or "make," though a faction can seem to be a taking away or un-doing. Politics is one area where faction gets a lot of use, because a political party often starts with a large group but has some members who disagree with a belief or direction. These members separate from the larger party and become a faction of their own, with many of the same beliefs as the original group but with a few new differences, too.

Example Sentences

Fatah is the only major faction on the ballot across the Palestinian territories, and is guaranteed victory in some districts because no opposition candidates are running.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah toppled in the 1979 Islamic revolution, has "brand recognition" but lacks an armed faction on the ground, Salih said.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

Whatever their considerations were, there is clearly more than one faction inside the White House and the Department of Justice with a view.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026

While many ski towns have spent years mourning the rise of corporate conglomerates swallowing mom-and-pop owners, a growing faction in Telluride was pushing in the opposite direction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

The crowd is swelling, not just with factionless wearing black armbands with empty white circles on them, but with people from every former faction, their arms bare.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Related Words

• bloc
• clan
• gang
• junta
• minority
• party
• sect
• side
• wing