schism

American  

[siz-uhm, skiz-] / ˈsɪz əm, ˈskɪz- /

noun

1. division or disunion, especially into mutually opposed parties.

2. the parties so formed.

3. Ecclesiastical.

   1. a formal division within, or separation from, a church or religious body over some doctrinal difference.

   2. the state of a sect or body formed by such division.

   3. the offense of causing or seeking to cause such a division.

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schism British  

/ ˈsɪz-, ˈskɪzəm /

noun

1. the division of a group into opposing factions

2. the factions so formed

3. division within or separation from an established Church, esp the Roman Catholic Church, not necessarily involving differences in doctrine

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schism Cultural  

1. A break within a church, such as the division between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

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Other Word Forms

• schismless adjective

Etymology

Origin of schism

1350–1400; < Late Latin (Vulgate) sc ( h ) isma (stem sc ( h ) ismat- ) < Greek, derivative of schízein to split, with -ma (stem -mat- ) noun suffix of result; replacing Middle English ( s ) cisme, sisme < Middle French < Late Latin, as above

Explanation

The sound of the word schism reminds some people of the sound of a piece of paper being torn in two; which makes sense — when a group has a big fight and the group is torn in two, that's a schism. Although the Spanish club could have a schism over taco night versus tamale fest, schism often refers to splits in the church. You might have heard of the Great Schism of 1054, when the eastern Christian church, headquartered in Byzantium (now Istanbul), broke away from the western one headquartered in Rome.

Example Sentences

The scientists watching this schism aren’t sure why things became so belligerent.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

A schism in the House of Windsor looks irreconcilable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

"This is a schism, even if they don't want to say that," Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford in England, told the BBC.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

How to handle inside information is already generating a schism in the prediction-market world.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Still, the absence of these supportive relationships must have hurt, despite his role in the schism.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• alienation
• breakup
• disagreement
• discord
• dissension
• fissure
• rift
• rupture