adjective
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of, belonging or relating to, or characteristic of sects or sectaries
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adhering to a particular sect, faction, or doctrine
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narrow-minded, esp as a result of rigid adherence to a particular sect
noun
Other Word Forms
- sectarianism noun
- sectarianly adverb
- unsectarian adjective
Etymology
Origin of sectarian
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.
Despite a shared enmity for the United States and Israel, the Shiite and Sunni militias are bitter sectarian foes.
From Los Angeles Times
If Washington is serious about a stable Syria, it must use its leverage now before sectarian fractures harden beyond repair.
As Bangladesh votes on Thursday after a spate of deadly sectarian violence, Suchitra Biswas from the minority Hindu community yearns only for peace and harmony.
From Barron's
According to police figures released in January, out of 645 incidents involving members of minority groups in 2025 -- only 12 percent were classified as having a sectarian motive.
From Barron's
Asked if the government made mistakes in its response to the sectarian violence, she replies: "Mistakes happen in transition, in post-conflict; no-one is happy about it, including the president."
From BBC
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.
