sectarian

[ sek-tair-ee-uhn ]
See synonyms for sectarian on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of or relating to sectaries or sects.

  2. narrowly confined or devoted to a particular sect.

  1. narrowly confined or limited in interest, purpose, scope, etc.

noun
  1. a member of a sect.

  2. a bigoted or narrow-minded adherent of a sect.

Origin of sectarian

1
First recorded in 1640–50; sectary + -an

Other words from sectarian

  • sec·tar·i·an·ly, adverb
  • un·sec·tar·i·an, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sectarian in a sentence

  • Beyond these doctrines, Masonry is wholly unsectarian; it recognises no other dogmas; it accredits no form of faith.

    Devil-Worship in France | Arthur Edward Waite
  • He had been an early supporter of Lancaster and 'unsectarian' education.

  • They were soon engaged in an earnest discussion of unsectarian charities.

    The Half-Hearted | John Buchan
  • It has lately been engaged on Sundays for religions worship and preaching, on a professedly unsectarian principle.

    The Church Index | William Pepperell
  • The Institution is quite unsectarian, and is entirely dependent upon the generous offerings of the benevolent.

    Cities of the Dawn | J. Ewing Ritchie

British Dictionary definitions for sectarian

sectarian

/ (sɛkˈtɛərɪən) /


adjective
  1. of, belonging or relating to, or characteristic of sects or sectaries

  2. adhering to a particular sect, faction, or doctrine

  1. narrow-minded, esp as a result of rigid adherence to a particular sect

noun
  1. a member of a sect or faction, esp one who is bigoted in his adherence to its doctrines or in his intolerance towards other sects, etc

Derived forms of sectarian

  • sectarianism, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012