sect
/sekt/noun
1- a group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs (typically regarded as heretical) from those of a larger group to which they belong教派（多指异端教派）。
1.1
- often derogatory a group that has separated from an established Church; a nonconformist Church〈常贬〉（分裂出去的）教派; 非国教的新教派。
1.2
- a philosophical or political group, especially one regarded as extreme or dangerous（尤指被认为极端或危险的）哲学学派; 党派。
词源
Middle English: from Old French secte or Latin secta, literally 'following', hence 'faction, party', from the stem of sequi 'follow'.