factious

[fak-shuhs]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR factious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

given to faction; dissentious: A factious group was trying to undermine the government.

pertaining to or proceeding from faction: factious quarrels.

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 for factious

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR factious ON THESAURUS.COM

1. divisive, disputatious, mutinous, contentious.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for factious

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 of factious

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.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.II.
Tobias Smollett
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

given to, producing, or characterized by faction

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).