a group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs (typically regarded as heretical) from those of a larger group to which they belong 教派(尤指异端教派) ■(often derogatory)a group that has separated from an established Church; a nonconformist Church (常贬)(分裂出去的)教派;非国教的新教派 ■a philosophical or political group, especially one regarded as extreme or dangerous (尤指被认为极端或危险的)哲学学派;党派
语源
Middle English: from Old French secte or Latin secta, literally 'following', hence 'faction, party', from the stem of sequi 'follow'