French Conversation · Level 52
75 words
French word
secte
Pronunciation
IPA/sɛkt/
Meaning
- feminine nouncult
Example
Il a quitté la secte hier.
He left the cult yesterday.
More examples
Il a rejoint une secte quand il était jeune.
He joined a cult when he was young.
Core concept
A closed circle whose leader or doctrine governs members' beliefs, choices, and contact with the outside world.
Common phrases
quitter la secte
leave the cult
rejoindre une secte
join a cult
être dans une secte
be in a cult
Similar words
religion: An organized faith with many followers, formal doctrines, and established worship.
culte: Intense devotion to a person or object, or the group formed around it.
mouvement: A group united by shared ideas or goals and active in society.
Definition in French
Désigne un groupe organisé, souvent fermé et charismatique, qui exerce un contrôle social ou spirituel marqué sur ses membres.
Word origin
French secte is a learned borrowing from Latin secta, a group or school of followers related to sequi, 'to follow'; its modern French use emphasizes coercive control.
Usage tips
- English sect can neutrally mean a religious subgroup, but French secte usually suggests harmful manipulation or social control.