1. a religious group that has separated from a larger established religion
2. a group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs from those of a larger group to which they belong

Examples

• The Amish are a Christian sect known for their simple lifestyle.
• Several sects of Buddhism practice different forms of meditation.
• The new sect attracted followers who disagreed with traditional teachings.
• Members of the sect gathered for their weekly prayer meeting.
• The religious sect was founded in the early 1800s.
• Different sects within the faith have varying interpretations of scripture.