sect
sect — noun
- sectsingular
- sectsplural
1. a religious community whose beliefs and practices differ from those of the mains
a religious community whose beliefs and practices differ from those of the mainstream religion it split away from, and that outsiders often consider extreme
The Hari family left the main church and joined a small religious sect.
collocation: religious sect
Police are investigating whether the sect used illegal methods to recruit new members.
Talia joined a Buddhist sect that focuses on meditation and simple living.
Some Christian sects do not celebrate Christmas because of their different beliefs.
The founder of the sect taught that members should give away all their money.
- denomination
neutral term for a recognized subgroup within a religion; less negative than 'sect'
- cult
more negative; suggests extreme or manipulative practices and a charismatic leader
- faction
a smaller dissenting group within a larger body, often political rather than religious
- splinter group
emphasizes the act of breaking away from a larger organization
用法筆記
This word often carries a negative or disapproving tone when used by outsiders. People inside the group usually prefer to call their group a church, a congregation, or a community instead.