Where does “sectarian” come from?
Sectarian comes from Latin sectarius, derived from sectus, the past participle of secare meaning to cut or divide, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sek- with the same sense.
sectarian (English): Of, or relating to a sect; Dogmatic or partisan;...
Definitions
- Of, or relating to a sect; Dogmatic or partisan;...
Ancestry of “sectarian”, step by step
sectarian traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English sect
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sect | An offshoot of a larger religion; a group sharing... |
| 2 | Middle English | secte | A variety or sort; a category with a... |
| 3 | Old French | secte | a sect in philosophy or religion |
| 4 | Late Latin | secta | a sect in philosophy or religion, a school,... |
| 5 | Latin | sequi | present active infinitive of sequor; follow, come... |
| 6 | Latin | sequor | I follow, come or go after |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | sekʷōr | follow, come/go after |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sékʷetor | to be following |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |
via Medieval Latin sectarius
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | sectarius | gelded, castrated; a sectary |