faction

1 of 2

noun

fac·​tion ˈfak-shən How to pronounce faction (audio)
1
: a party or group (as within a government) that is often contentious or self-seeking : clique
The committee soon split into factions.
2
: party spirit especially when marked by dissension
faction, or the irreconcilable conflict of partiesErnest Barker
factional adjective
factionalism noun
factionally adverb

-faction

2 of 2

noun combining form

: making : -fication
petrifaction

Examples of faction in a Sentence

Noun The committee soon split into factions. several factions within the environmental movement have joined forces to save this wilderness area
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Now, both warring political factions spin the narrative surrounding tragedies to suit their agendas. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025 Scott Peterson/Getty Images/The Christian Science Monitor Yet as different factions begin to shape the country’s post-Assad future, the past screams out for justice. Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan. 2025 In the end, President Emmanuel Macron installed a conservative government in September, alienating political factions to the left and right. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2025 Hundreds of armed men from various Palestinian factions as well as Hamas' military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, have also been deployed in Palestine Square where crowds of people are forming to witness the handover. Astha Rajvanshi, NBC News, 25 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for faction 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French faccion, borrowed from Latin factiōn-, factiō "act of making, social set, band, group, self-seeking political group," from facere "to make, bring about, place, classify" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at fact

Note: A doublet of faction is fashion entry 1, from the Gallo-Romance outcome of Latin factiō, which maintains only the meaning "act of making," sparsely attested outside of early Latin except in legal use.

Noun combining form

borrowed from Latin -factiōn-, -factiō (as in satisfactiōn-, satisfactiō satisfaction)

First Known Use

Noun

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of faction was in 1509

Dictionary Entries Near faction

Cite this Entry

“Faction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faction. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

faction

noun
fac·​tion ˈfak-shən How to pronounce faction (audio)
: a group acting together within a larger body (as a government) : clique
factional
-shnəl How to pronounce faction (audio)
-shən-ᵊl
adjective
factionalism noun

More from Merriam-Webster on faction

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!