factious

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Factious means 'characterized by faction or dissension', as in factious quarrelling, whereas factitious means 'contrived, artificial', as in factitious reasoning; both words are related to Latin facere 'to do' but there is no overlap in meaning. Fractious has nothing to do with either but is sometimes confused with factious; it means 'irritable, peevish', as in a fractious child. In the following sentence factious is presumably the word intended:

In this chapter we have traced the fractious history of relations between ethnic groups in America and the larger 'races' which encompass these—R. Singh, 2003.

See also fictional, fictitious.

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adj

Definition: conflicting, warring
Antonyms: agreeing, cooperating, cooperative, peaceful, united

inclined to form factions: seditious

IN BRIEF: adj. - Dissenting (especially dissenting with the majority opinion).

Tutor's tip: The collector made a "factious" (quarrelsome) remark to the "fatuous" (silly, inane) shopkeeper who tried to sell her a "factitious" (lacking authenticity) antique with a "fictitious" (invented) history.

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See words rhyming with "factious."