adjective
-
of, belonging or relating to, or characteristic of sects or sectaries
-
adhering to a particular sect, faction, or doctrine
-
narrow-minded, esp as a result of rigid adherence to a particular sect
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sectarian
Explanation
Sectarian is a word to describe something having to do with smaller groups or sects. Sectarian violence, for example, would describe violence that has erupted between conflicting groups or sects. Sectarian, as a noun, is a member of a group with a particular set of interests. If you're a religious sectarian, you are loyal to a particular religious sect or group. Unfortunately, there are not many places in the world where sectarian strife and conflict do not exist.
Vocabulary lists containing sectarian
Power Suffix: -arian
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Ideas Live On" by Benazir Bhutto (2007)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
President Obama's U.N. Address
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She said she supported "the right of the Garvaghy Road residents to protest against this unwanted sectarian march".
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
An inquiry into the sectarian murder of Robert Hamill has found police officers who were in a vehicle near the attack did not condone or collude with the attackers.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
A city centre, once so scarred by sectarian violence that it was barricaded off every night, was turned into one big, pedestrianised stage to showcase all its traditions.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
“In the end that sacred project actually tends to produce sectarian narrowness, exclusion, uniformity, silencing, self-censorship, lack of debate, the negative sanctioning of nonconformists, and the debilitation of rigorous thought.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
I ask my fellow-workers at the factory; they know nothing and think I am talking of some crazy Yomesh sectarian.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
