sect \sect\ se^kt, n. l. secare, sectum, to cut.
   a cutting; a scion. obs. --shak.
   1913 webster

sect \sect\ se^kt, n. f. secte, l. secta, fr. sequi to
   follow; often confused with l. secare, sectum, to cut. see
   sue to follow, and cf. sept, suit, n.
   those following a particular leader or authority, or attached
   to a certain opinion; a company or set having a common belief
   or allegiance distinct from others; in religion, the
   believers in a particular creed, or upholders of a particular
   practice; especially, in modern times, a party dissenting
   from an established church; a denomination; in philosophy,
   the disciples of a particular master; a school; in society
   and the state, an order, rank, class, or party.
   1913 webster

         he beareth the sign of poverty,
         and in that sect our savior saved all mankind. --piers
                                                  plowman.
   1913 webster

         as of the sect of which that he was born,
         he kept his lay, to which that he was sworn. --chaucer.
   1913 webster

         the cursed sect of that detestable and false prophet
         mohammed.                                --fabyan.
   1913 webster

         as concerning this sect christians, we know that
         everywhere it is spoken against.         --acts xxviii.
                                                  22.
   1913 webster
see also:
sue sept suit 

sect
     n 1: a subdivision of a larger religious group syn: religious
          sect, religious order
     2: a dissenting clique syn: faction
see also:
religious sect religious order faction 

62 moby thesaurus words for "sect":
   babi, babism, bahaism, brahmanism, brahmoism, buddhism,
   chen yen buddhism, christianity, adherents, affiliation,
   anthroposophy, body, branch, breakaway group, cabal, camp, caucus,
   church, class, clique, communion, community, confession,
   connection, creed, cult, denomination, disciples, division,
   ethnic group, faction, faith, fellowship, followers, group,
   interest, interest group, ism, minority group, offshoot, order,
   organization, party, persuasion, political party, pressure group,
   religious order, schism, school, school of thought, sectarism,
   segment, set, side, silent majority, society, splinter,
   splinter group, variety, version, vocal minority, wing

sect
   gr. hairesis, usually rendered "heresy", acts 24:14; 1 chr.
   11:19; gal. 5:20, etc., meaning properly "a choice," then "a
   chosen manner of life," and then "a religious party," as the
   "sect" of the sadducees acts 5:17, of the pharisees 15:5,
   the nazarenes, i.e., christians 24:5. it afterwards came to be
   used in a bad sense, of those holding pernicious error,
   divergent forms of belief 2 pet. 2:1; gal. 5:20.