Make Your Point > Archived Issues > FACTION
Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.
pronounce
FACTION:
Say it "FACK shun."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Today we're checking out the word faction, a helpful word for talking about clashing groups: about strife between people with fierce loyalties to different ideologies.
Another word for that kind of strife or clashing is tr____ism. Can you recall it? It means "loyalty to your own social group, often in a way that's harmfully strong."
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "faction" comes from a classical Latin one, factiōn, with many meanings, including "a way of doing or making something," "a certain class of people," "a political party," and "political partisanship." So, you can understand why the English word "faction" has meant a bunch of different things, dating all the way back to 1440. For example, it has a special meaning that we've applied to ancient Roman history. I'll let a historian explain it: "By the end of the fifth century, all entertainment was organized by the factions—the Blues, Greens, Reds, and Whites—which had been responsible for organizing chariot racing in Rome" (Ruth Webb).
Here's how we use this word most often today. A faction is a group of people that tends to fight for its own interests within a larger group. And, faction is that whole spirit of tense arguing between groups.
We've used "faction" that way since about 1509, and it's a pretty common word. But here's a completely different meaning, a rare one, which dates back only to about 1967. "Faction" is a type of literature and film: the kind that builds a semi-fictional story out of real events. This "faction" is a blend of the words "fact" and "fiction."
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Most often a noun, the countable kind: "They belong to a radical faction;" "That idea is popular only in this faction."
Also the uncountable kind: "How do we rise above all this bitterness and faction?"
Other forms:
The plural noun is "factions."
The standard adjective is "factional," but you can also refer to groups as "faction-ridden" or "faction-riddled." And you can simply use "faction" as an adjective: "faction leaders," "faction fighting."
Although "faction" itself can mean "the presence or spirit of bitter disagreement between groups," there's also a clearer noun for that same idea: "factionalism."
how to use it:
Pick the common, formal word "faction" when you need a negative, critical word for "sect," "group," or "division."
We often use the plural and talk about warring factions, bitter disputes between factions, power-mongering factions and so on.
The adjective is rare, but useful. You could talk about a factional candidate or leader; a factional school, party, corporation, or nation; a factional clash, feud, division, etc.
Although the word "faction" often carries a serious tone, it's also great for sarcasm and exaggeration. Check out that second example below about fashionable water bottles.
examples:
"Most fans [of the game Warhammer] have a tongue-in-cheek or campy appreciation for the various factions within the game's universe, which include Orks, Space Marines and a murderous division of human women called the Adepta Sororitas."
— Shane O’Neill, New York Times, 7 January 2022
"The debate over what type of vessel [water] is sipped from can be intense. In recent years, with more people embracing reusable bottles as a way to avoid plastic, factions have formed over which style is superior."
— Danya Issawi, New York Times, 17 May 2022
has this page helped you understand "faction"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "faction" without saying "sect" or "party."
try it out:
Kumar Yogeeswaran argues that, in our faction-riddled world, we need to strive for tolerance, not unity:
"In a nation divided between two almost equally powerful political factions, tolerance is a necessity for avoiding future conflict. Neither side of the political divide is going to vanquish the other, or eradicate opposing beliefs, practices and values entirely. Calls for unity by leaders and institutions are a marked improvement from messages of division. However, tolerance is going to be a more realistic, and more effective, strategy for addressing irreconcilable divisions stemming from ideological, religious, cultural and moral differences that are inevitable in a large, free, pluralistic nation."
Talk about what he means, and whether or not you agree with him. In your view, what should we be doing--if anything-- to ease the factionalism in our society?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month: It Sounds Wiser in Latin.
Try matching a handful of Latin phrases to their English translations. If you need some clues, I'll provide them in the form of definitions of related words. Enjoy!
Try these today:
1. a posse ad esse
2. amicus usque ad aras
3. aut vincere aut mori
4. felix qui nihil debet
5. verba volant, scripta manent
A. a friend to the very altar (until death)
B. either to conquer or die
C. from possibility to actuality
D. happy is he who owes nothing
E. what is spoken flies but what is written remains
To peek at the clues, follow the links:
1. Something amicable is...
2. Something felicitous is...
3. Something moribund is...
review this word:
A. FREE.
B. PROSPEROUS.
C. HARMONIOUS.
2.
In Veronica Roth's novel Divergent, citizens in a dystopian-future Chicago _____ factions.
A. split themselves into
B. work to destroy relics from past
C. compete annually for the honor of
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Today we're checking out the word faction, a helpful word for talking about clashing groups: about strife between people with fierce loyalties to different ideologies.
The word "faction" comes from a classical Latin one, factiōn, with many meanings, including "a way of doing or making something," "a certain class of people," "a political party," and "political partisanship." So, you can understand why the English word "faction" has meant a bunch of different things, dating all the way back to 1440. For example, it has a special meaning that we've applied to ancient Roman history. I'll let a historian explain it: "By the end of the fifth century, all entertainment was organized by the factions—the Blues, Greens, Reds, and Whites—which had been responsible for organizing chariot racing in Rome" (Ruth Webb).
Part of speech:
Pick the common, formal word "faction" when you need a negative, critical word for "sect," "group," or "division."
"Most fans [of the game Warhammer] have a tongue-in-cheek or campy appreciation for the various factions within the game's universe, which include Orks, Space Marines and a murderous division of human women called the Adepta Sororitas."
Explain the meaning of "faction" without saying "sect" or "party."
Kumar Yogeeswaran argues that, in our faction-riddled world, we need to strive for tolerance, not unity:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |