Faction
/ˈfækʃən/
nounB2
Definition
A faction is a part of a larger group, like a club, party, or community, where members have similar opinions or goals. Usually, factions form because people have different ideas or interests from the main group, and sometimes they create conflicts or disagreements.
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See It in Action
A smaller group within a larger group, often with different opinions
- •The political party was divided into several factions.
- •Different factions in the company disagreed on the new plan.
- •The school club had a faction that wanted to change the rules.
A group that often causes disagreement or conflict inside a bigger group
- •The faction tried to take control of the organization.
- •Factions within the team made it hard to work together.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "faction" like a "group," but smaller and inside a bigger group, often with different ideas
- ✓Picture a classroom where some students form a team to support one idea, separate from the rest
- ✓It's the feeling when friends split into smaller teams because they want different things
- ✓Sounds like "FAK-shun" → Imagine a small "fact" team inside a big group, each with their own facts or ideas
- ✓Think of stories like "The Hunger Games," where society is divided into factions with different roles and beliefs
- ✓NOT like "team" (which works together for the same goal), a faction may sometimes fight or disagree with the main group
- ✓NOT like "crowd" (large, mixed people), a faction is smaller and more focused on specific ideas
- ✓NOT like "party" (a political group), but a faction can be part of a party with different views inside it
Try Other Words
- •Clique: a small, exclusive group of people (Use when the group is about friendship and exclusion, not necessarily disagreement)
- •Sect: a group with different religious or political beliefs (Use when the group has strong, different beliefs, often in religion or politics)
- •Camp: a group sharing the same opinion or position (Use when emphasizing sides or teams in an argument)
- •Wing: a part of a political party with particular views (Use when referring to parts inside politics)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "fac-" (from Latin "facere" meaning "to do or make") + "-tion" (a suffix that makes nouns meaning "the act or result of")
- •Etymology: From Latin "factio," meaning a group of people acting together
- •Historical development: Used first in English in the 1500s to describe groups or parties that act together, often with conflict
- •Modern usage: Used to describe smaller groups inside larger organizations, especially when they have different opinions or causes fights
Reflect & Connect
•Can a faction be positive, helping a group by offering new ideas, or is it always a cause of conflict?
•How does being part of a faction affect the way people work together in a team or community?
Fill in the blanks
1.The faction formed because its members ___ different ideas from the main group.
2.When a faction grows too strong, it can ___ problems inside the larger organization.
3.Unlike a simple group, a faction often has its own ___ and goals separate from the whole.
4.The politician belonged to the ___ of the party that wanted new policies.
5.Sometimes, factions ___ their disagreements by holding separate meetings.
6.The team lost because the factions inside it could not ___ together.
7.In stories, factions often represent ___ sides with different beliefs or powers.