sectary

9.9

A person who belongs to a small religious group separate from the main church

noun
/ˈsɛktəri/

Archaic

: sectario

The sectary's unusual practices often drew criticism from more traditional religious communities.

Examples

But did opticians use sectaries?

Fiction book (1995)
The sectary followed the teachings of a small religious group that broke away from the mainstream church.
As a devoted sectary, she attended meetings every week to discuss the beliefs that set her group apart.

Synonyms

heretic

vssectary

Formal

19 8.8

A person who holds beliefs that go against accepted religious teaching

is about belonging to a separate group rather than only holding disputed beliefs

Congregationalist

vssectary

1 7.9

A person who belongs to a church where each local group runs itself

refers to membership in a group regarded as heretical or separate from the established church

sectarian

vssectary

1 8.2

A person who strongly follows a religious or political group

focuses on belonging to a group seen as heretical or separate

Messalian

vssectary

Specialized

9.9

A member of a small early Christian group that practiced constant prayer and rejected church authority

emphasizes general membership in groups regarded as heretical or separate

denominationalist

vssectary

9.9

A person who supports one religious group more than others

describes membership in a group often seen as heretical or separate

Surface Forms

sectary singular

sectaries plural

Morphology

sectary = sect (transparent) = sect + ary

Formed by productive suffixation of '-ary' to 'sect' to denote a person belonging to or connected with a sect; meaning is directly predictable from the base.

Etymology

Sectary comes from sect, a small group that 'follows' a particular leader or belief, and that goes back to the old Latin word sequi meaning 'to follow'. So a sectary is simply someone who follows a separate religious group, which explains the modern meaning.