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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sect(e, Sek(k, n. Also: seck. Pl. also sectais. [ME and e.m.E. secte (Chaucer), sect (Lydgate), sekt (1530), F. secte, OF also siecte, (c1155 in Larousse), L. secta a following, party or faction, a philosophical school, a class or profession, f. sequī to follow.]

1. A class, kind or group of persons. 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II 33.
To proceid … with thame in reparatioun of ane altare, processionis and vtheris conuentionis neidfull, and to haue thair place in the samyn conforme to all vtheris craftis and sectais within the said burgh 1549 Compl. 29/28.
Ther is maye of the sect of Sardanapalus amang vs, nor ther is of Scipions or Camillus 1549 Compl. 139/9.
For thou ande al thy sect callit lauberaris to burgh ande land, deseruis no les punitione nor dois thy tua brethir nobilis ande clergie 1549 Compl. 144/1.
For thou ande thy sect that professis ȝou to be nobilis ande gentil men, there is nocht ane sperk of nobilnes nor gentrice amang the maist part of ȝou a1585 Maitl. Q. 279/4.
O deith … Obscuir and noble quhy haldis thow of ane sect? c1590 Fowler I 73/173.
Nor Clio with Calliope and all these of that sect 1622-6 Bisset II 234/4.
The ordinances quhairfoir the Vicount of Lyoun is accustumate to the sectis called seillis of conduct and nocht brevis

2. A body of followers or adherents, (a person's etc.) following. a1500 MS Rawl. Qb. 4 fol. 1.
Ane feynd that is bath fel & bald Principal tempir, he may be cald And the flesch & the warldis sectis His seruandis & his subiectis Throu quham he may men tytest bring To fleschly lust & erdly lyking 1567 G. Ball. App. 234.
Cum heir my elect, and my awin sweit sect 1590–1 Reg. Privy C. IV 562.
The … crafty practizes of Mr. James Gordoun, fader bruthir to the Erll of Huntlie, and utheris of his sect

3. A party or faction among the adherents of a religion, chiefly the Christian religion, who maintain beliefs or practise observances distinct from those of others of the same religion; chiefly, such a party whose beliefs or observances the author regards as erroneous or heretical; also, the set of beliefs or observances distinctive of such a party. Also const. of (a particular) doctrine, heresy, etc.(1) c1520-c1535 Nisbet II 321 marg.
Sic a man as is a auctour of sectes, or a menteinar of heresye 1534 Acts Sederunt i 21.
Memorandum … to extend the act … contrare the Lutherianis … Item, Of the resettaris and harbriaris in thair lugeingis, of strangearis and vtheris of that secte 1549 Compl. 6/22.
Thai var of diuerse sectis, haldant straynge opinions contrar the scriptour 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 154/1.
I marvell mekle mair of ȝou, and mony hundreth vtheris of ȝour sect, that callis the mes idolatrie 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 173/37.
Als we reid of thre diuers sectis and factiouns quhilkis war amangis the Arrianis 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 174/14.
Thai ar diuidit in diuers sectis and opiniouns that ganestude the mes 1562-3 Winȝet II 7/29.
Be the mony diuerse and contrarious sectis raigeing at this præsent amangis the professouris of Christis name 1562-3 Winȝet II 47/9.
At lenthe ȝit othir fel in an wther manis sect, or thame self inuentit thair awin hæresie 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 399.
Efter thir, quhen the sindrie sectis of freiris began to spring vp, [etc.] 1573 Cath. Tr. 17/26.
Of fiftie sectes quhilkis dois regne this day, euerie ane of thame dois attribuit to thame selfe the rycht administratioun of the sacramentis and the confessioun of faith 1641 J. Maxwell, Bp. Episcopacie Not Abjured 92.
Ministers of that sect had a chief hand in these attempts 1687 Gods Interest in the King 29.
It had been so still, if a new sect or hotch-potch party had not sprung up here and in our neighbour kingdom(b) 1533 Gau 104/22.
The sekkis N. and N. quhilk ar rissine laitlie in the kirk and prechis dremis and fablis and the tradicions of men and notht the vangel 1533 Gau 104/31.
Our halie fader the paip … giffis ane part of the spulȝe … to thir forsaid sekkis(2) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 4.
Quhat trew Christin hart will nocht be discontent … to se sa mony sectis of doctrine c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3890.
The fals Pharesiance, Ane sect of fenȝeit religioun 1560 Conf. Faith in Acts II 527/1.
We abhoir all sectis of heresie and all teicharis of erronious doctrine a1568 Scott i 95.
To ceis all sindrye sectis of hereseis God gif thé grace 1596 Dalr. I 269/6.
Against the secte of imagebrekeris, thair name iconoclastæ 1622-6 Bisset II 298/13.
Of him [sc. Nicolas] sprang the sek of the Nicolaites ?1655 Fugitive Poetry II xxviii 3/81.
The strang and straying seck of seikers 1669 Jus Populi 432.
Among the wilde seck of Anabaptists(3) 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis fol. 103b.
Thair salbe ane change of religione and extreme ourthrow of the sectis of the kyrk

b. Such a party as followers of a religious leader: Cf. sense 2. a1538 Abell 109a.
Paull Craw … wes conwikkit heritik of the sek of Wyclif & John Hus & birnt in Sanct Andros 1546 Reg. Privy C. I 63.
With that pestilencious hereseis of Luther his sect and followaris

c. Applied to faiths outside the Christian or Judaic tradition.Dalr. quot. may belong in 3 above. 1573-1600 King Cat. in Cath. Tr. 208/20.
Ane trew Christiane … detestis … al kynd of worschipping of God and all sectis quhilkis ar … different frome the doctrine of Christis halie kirk: sic as præsentlie is the sectis of the Jewis, of Ethnicques, of Mahomeit, and all hæretiques 1596 Dalr. I 216/27.
This peple sticking maist constantlie to the puritie of the Christne religioune suffired na blek nathir of paganisme, nor ony vthir secte, bot the religioune of Christe in that cuntrey

4. A body of adherents of a particular school of philosophy. 1562-3 Winȝet II 51/1.
Al the sectis of philosophouris, the authoris and appreuearis of the sectis c1590 Fowler I 116/115.
For to accorde these contrare sects that then war at great jarrs