Library / English Dictionary

SCHISM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Division of a group into opposing factions

Example:

another schism like that and they will wind up in bankruptcy

Synonyms:

schism; split

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("schism" is a kind of...):

division (the act or process of dividing)

Derivation:

schismatic; schismatical (of or relating to or involved in or characteristic of schism)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("schism" is a kind of...):

breach; break; falling out; rift; rupture; severance (a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions))

Instance hyponyms:

Great Schism (the period from 1378 to 1417 during which there were two papacies in the Roman Catholic Church, one in Rome and one in Avignon)

Derivation:

schismatic (of or relating to or involved in or characteristic of schism)

Credits