sectarian

(sĕk-târ'ē-ən)
adj.

1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a sect.
2. Adhering or confined to the dogmatic limits of a sect or denomination; partisan.
3. Narrow-minded; parochial.

n.

1. A member of a sect.
2. One characterized by bigoted adherence to a factional viewpoint.

sectarianism sec·tar'i·an·ism n.

View more Literature & Language videos

Sectarian in the sense of "intolerantly partisan" is how the US ambassador to Baghdad is describing the conflict in Iraq, as well as the parties thereto:

"'Sectarian and ethnic conflict is the fundamental problem in Iraq,' said Zalmay Khalilzad after talks to form a new government again stumbled today over disagreements between Shias, Sunni Arabs and Kurds.
'American taxpayers expect their money to be spent properly. We are not going to invest the resources of the American people into forces run by people who are sectarian.'"

Link: US threatens to cut Iraq aid over Tehran links

Posted February 21, 2006.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

noun

A person who dissents from the doctrine of an established church: dissenter, dissident, heretic, nonconformist, schismatic, sectary, separationist, separatist. See religion.

adj

Definition: narrow-minded, exclusive
Antonyms: broad, broad-minded, liberal, nonsectarian, tolerant

n

Definition: person who is narrow-minded
Antonyms: liberal, nonsectarian

For a list of words related to sectarian, see:

• Foolish, Immature, Bigoted, or Trivial

---

See words rhyming with "sectarian."

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - sekterisk
n. - sekterer

Nederlands (Dutch)
sektariër, sektarisch

Français (French)
adj. - sectaire
n. - sectaire

Deutsch (German)
n. - Sektierer, Sektenanhänger
adj. - sektiererisch, Konfessions-

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σχισματικός, σεκταριστής, μισαλλόδοξος
adj. - διασπαστικός, σεκταριστικός, σχισματικός, μισαλλόδοξος, (θρησκ.) αιρετικός

Italiano (Italian)
settario

Português (Portuguese)
n. - sectário (m)
adj. - sectário

Русский (Russian)
сектант, фанатик, диссидент, еретик, вероотступник, раскольник

Español (Spanish)
adj. - sectario
n. - sectario

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - sekterist
adj. - sekteristisk

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
宗派的, 偏执的, 派别的, 属于宗派的人, 宗派心强的人

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 宗派的, 偏執的, 派別的
n. - 屬於宗派的人, 宗派心強的人

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 분파의, 당파심이 강한, 편협한
n. - 종도, 파벌적인 사람, 종파심이 강한 사람

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 分派の, 宗派の
n. - 派閥に属する人, 党派心の強い人

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) شخص متعصب (صفه) متعصب, طائفي‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮כיתתי, צר-אופק, מפלגתי, קנאי‬
n. - ‮חבר בכת‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.