Groups of people who share a particular religious belief or practice, often separated from the larger religious community.
From Latin 'secta' (way, path, school of thought), derived from 'secare' (to cut or follow). The word originally meant a path or road, then evolved to mean a group that 'follows' a particular doctrine.
The same root 'secare' (to cut) gives us 'section,' 'sector,' 'insect,' and 'dissect'—so etymologically, a 'sect' is a group that has been 'cut away' or separated from the main body, which perfectly captures how religions branch off into smaller communities.
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