Faction
'fækʃən
Definitions
A group of people within a larger group, who have different ideas and opinions than the rest of the group.
'fækʃən
A small, organized dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics.
The board of directors was divided into two opposing factions.
💡 Simply: Imagine your friend group, and some people always want pizza while others want burgers. Those different pizza and burger groups? Those are factions! They don't agree on everything.
👶 For kids: A faction is a small group of people inside a bigger group who don't all agree on the same things.
More Examples
The ongoing dispute between rival factions has destabilized the government.
The school's student council had to mediate between several different student factions.
The book explored the power dynamics and conflicts of various court factions during the medieval period.
How It's Used
"Political analysts often discuss the power struggles between different factions within a party."
"The history book detailed the complex relationships between various court factions during the reign of the king."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
Faction fighting
Conflict or rivalry between different groups or factions, often within a larger organization.
"The political party was consumed by faction fighting, making it difficult to pass any meaningful legislation."
Internal factions
Divisions or subgroups within an organization or system.
"The company struggled to deal with its internal factions, each pursuing their own agenda."
From Middle French faction, from Latin factio ('a making, a doing, a party, a faction'), from factus, past participle of facere ('to do, to make').
The word 'faction' has been used since the 16th century to describe groups of people who are united in a cause but often disagree with others.
Memory tip
Think of a 'fracture' – a faction is a split within something.