sectarian

S1E1C3T1A1R1I1A1N1
UK/sɛkˈtɛəɹi.ən/US/sɛkˈtɛɹi.ən/

adjective

Of, relating to, or partial to a sect.

“We were discussing solutions to the sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shias.”

Opposite
Less commonScrabble 11

Meanings

adjectivesectarian (comparative more sectarian, superlative most sectarian)

comparative more sectarian · superlative most sectarian

  1. Of, relating to, or partial to a sect.

    We were discussing solutions to the sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shias.

  2. Dogmatic or partisan.
    1 more example

    The Hariri-Aoun agreement has shown that Hezbollah can bring the national political system to a halt. This happened in the past several years, and it worsened conditions in sectors such as foreign debt, electricity output, rubbish collection, water delivery, and other essential services, to the discomfort of the majority of Lebanese who have spoken out intermittently against the oligarchy of sectarian leaders who rule the country.

    2016 October 22, Rami G Khouri, “Lebanese oligarchy preserves its interests once again”, in Al Jazeera, archived from the original on 13 May 2022
nounsectarian (plural sectarians)

plural sectarians

  1. A member of a sect.
    1 more example

    An American sectarian, who has always lived within the high walls and in the close atmosphere of our intense sect-life here, and has always been accustomed to the dragonism of sect-authority and sect-jealousy, —is utterly amazed when for the first time he looks over his native sect-walls and comes to see the freedom of thought and utterance within the old churches of Europe.

    1870, The Millennial Harbinger - Volume 41, page 423

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite

adjectiveof or relating to or characteristic of a sect or sects

Opposite

nouna member of a sect

Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From Medieval Latin sectarius + -an. Its corresponding etymology per the first sense is sect + -arian.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian сектантски, сектант
  • сектантски (sektantski)of, or relating to a sect
  • сектант (sektant)member of a sect
Catalan sectari, sectari
  • sectariof, or relating to a sect
  • sectariparochial or narrow-minded
Czech sektářský
  • sektářskýdogmatic or partisan
Danish sekterisk
  • sekteriskof, or relating to a sect
Dutch sektarisch
  • sektarischof, or relating to a sect
German sektiererisch, Sekten-
  • sektiererischof, or relating to a sect
  • Sekten-of, or relating to a sect
  • parteiischdogmatic or partisan
  • dogmatischdogmatic or partisan
  • engstirnigparochial or narrow-minded
  • beschränktparochial or narrow-minded
  • engparochial or narrow-minded
  • provinziellparochial or narrow-minded
  • voreingenommenbigoted
  • eiferndbigoted
  • bigottbigoted
  • sturbigoted
  • Sektenmitgliedmember of a sect
  • Angehöriger einer Sektemember of a sect
  • Sektenangehörigermember of a sect
Norwegian Bokmål sekterisk
  • sekteriskof, or relating to a sect
Russian секта́нтский, секта́нтский
  • секта́нтский (sektántskij)of, or relating to a sect
  • секта́нтский (sektántskij)dogmatic or partisan
  • секта́нтский (sektántskij)parochial or narrow-minded
  • секта́нтский (sektántskij)bigoted
  • секта́нт (sektánt)member of a sect
  • секта́нтка (sektántka)member of a sect
Spanish sectario, sectario
  • sectarioof, or relating to a sect
  • sectariodogmatic or partisan
  • sectarioparochial or narrow-minded
  • sectariobigoted
Turkish mezhepsel, sekter
  • mezhepselof, or relating to a sect
  • sekterdogmatic or partisan
  • sekterparochial or narrow-minded
  • bağnazparochial or narrow-minded
  • sekterbigoted

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with sectarian

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

sectarian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sectarian

MLA

“sectarian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sectarian. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sectarian,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sectarian.

Source: sectarian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.