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factious

[fak-shuhs]
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adjective
  1. given to faction; dissentious: A factious group was trying to undermine the government.
  2. pertaining to or proceeding from faction: factious quarrels.
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Origin of factious

1525–35; < Latin factiōsus fond of doing, busy, of a company or party, equivalent to facti- (see faction1) + -ōsus -ous
Related formsfac·tious·ly, adverbfac·tious·ness, nounnon·fac·tious, adjectivenon·fac·tious·ly, adverbnon·fac·tious·ness, nouno·ver·fac·tious, adjectiveo·ver·fac·tious·ly, adverbo·ver·fac·tious·ness, nounun·fac·tious, adjectiveun·fac·tious·ly, adverb
Can be confusedfacetious factious factitious fictional fictitiousfactional factious fractious

Synonyms

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1. divisive, disputatious, mutinous, contentious.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

alienated, belligerent, contentious, contumacious, disaffected, disputatious, dissident, divisive, fighting, hostile, insubordinate, insurgent, litigious, malcontent, mutinous, partisan, quarrelsome, rebellious, refractory, rival

Examples from the Web for factious

Historical Examples

  • Faction and its adjective, factious, have always an unfavorable sense.

    English Synonyms and Antonyms

    James Champlin Fernald

  • Among his eulogists, of course, is not the factious Captain Ratcliffe.

    Captain John Smith

    Charles Dudley Warner

  • Orford appears to have been rough, turbulent, factious, and shallow.

  • O when will God deliver his poor church from factious deceivers?

    A Christian Directory

    Baxter Richard

  • In all which time, you, and your husband Grey, were factious for the house of Lancaster.

    Cambridge

    Mildred Anna Rosalie Tuker

British Dictionary definitions for factious

factious

adjective
  1. given to, producing, or characterized by faction
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Derived Formsfactiously, adverbfactiousness, noun

xref

See fractious
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for factious

adj.

1530s, from Middle French factieux and directly from Latin factiosus "partisan, seditious, inclined to form parties," from factionem (see faction).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper