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

Democratic transitions happen when individuals break from the ruling elite and launch a reform faction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 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

Taylor, from the party's conservative faction, won the secret ballot, 34 votes to 17.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

Their Open Trade faction, a minority in the Thirty-Three, opposed the continuation of the Sinoth Valley dispute, and in general represented a conservative, unaggressive, non-nationalistic policy.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Related Words

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