faction

¹

[ fak-shuhn ]

noun

1. a group or clique within a larger group, party, government, organization, or the like, typically having different opinions and interests than the larger group:

   a faction in favor of big business; rival factions within the company.

2. party strife and intrigue; dissension:

   an era of faction and treason.

   Synonyms: friction, split, schism, disagreement, discord

faction

²

[ fak-shuhn ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a form of writing or filmmaking that treats real people or events as if they were fictional or uses them as an integral part of a fictional account.
2. a novel, film, play, or other presentation in this form.

faction

¹

/ ˈfækʃən /

noun

1. a group of people forming a minority within a larger body, esp a dissentious group
2. strife or dissension within a group

faction

²

/ ˈfækʃən /

noun

1. a television programme, film, or literary work comprising a dramatized presentation of actual events

faction

1. A group formed to seek some goal within a political party or a government. The term suggests quarrelsome dissent from the course pursued by the party or government majority: “His administration is moderate, but it contains a faction of extremists.”

Derived Forms

• ˈfactionalist, noun
• ˈfactionalˌism, noun
• ˈfactional, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of faction¹

First recorded in 1500–10; < Latin factiōn- (stem of factiō ) “a doing, company, division,” equivalent to fact(us) “done, made” ( fact ) + -iōn- -ion

Origin of faction²

1965–70; blend of fact and fiction

Word History and Origins

Origin of faction¹

C16: from Latin factiō a making, from facere to make, do

Origin of faction²

C20: a blend of fact and fiction

Example Sentences

A faction formed a splinter group called Sierrans for U.S.

From Salon

The other faction pledges allegiance to the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, Zambada’s ex-partner, who is serving a life term in the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

"We were just sitting peacefully. These are innocent citizens who don’t belong to any military organization or faction," eyewitness and relative to the victims Hamza Alloush told Reuters.

From BBC

"Mediocre solutions which come at the expense of the Palestinians, or endless military support for Israel, is going to be nothing but a catalyst for future confrontations," said Sabri Saidam, a senior member of the PA's main faction, Fatah.

From BBC

Another faction in the office had pushed Gascón to seek to resentence the brothers to manslaughter, which would have made them eligible for immediate release if the judge granted the petition, according to two sources with direct knowledge of Gascón’s thinking.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bloc
• clan
• gang
• junta
• minority
• party
• sect
• side
• wing