Factious
/ˈfæk.ʃəs/noun
Tending to cause or promote internal disagreement or dissension within a group.
Did you know?Factious comes from Latin roots tied to factiones, originally a political “party” or “group,” and its history is bound up with the language of division, rivalry, and organized dissent.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
factiō
“a making, doing; later, a party, faction, or political group”
Late Latin
Latin
factiōsus
“given to factions; contentious, divisive”
Old French
Old French
factioneus / factieux
“factious; seditious, causing division”
14th-16th Century
English
factious
“prone to faction; dissentious, turbulent”
Modern English
English
factious
“inclined to form or promote factions; divisive”