schism

English

WOTD – 28 April 2007

Etymology

From Middle English scisme, from Old French cisme or scisme, from Ancient Greek σχίσμα (skhísma, “division”), from σχίζω (skhízō, “I split”). Doublet of schisma.

This word was historically pronounced /ˈsɪzəm/; the pronunciations /ˈʃɪzəm/, /ˈskɪzəm/ are due to the spelling (the latter may have been reinforced by learned influence); compare schedule.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈskɪzəm/, /ˈsɪzəm/, /ˈʃɪzəm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪzəm

Noun

schism (plural schisms)

1. A split or separation within a group or organization, typically caused by discord.
   • 2014 March 3, Zoe Alderton, “‘Snapewives’ and ‘Snapeism’: A Fiction-Based Religion within the Harry Potter Fandom”, in Religions‎^[1], volume 5, number 1, MDPI, →DOI, pages 219–257:

     Despite personal schisms and differences in spiritual experience, there is a very coherent theology of Snape shared between the wives. To examine this manifestation of religious fandom, I will first discuss the canon scepticism and anti-Rowling sentiment that helps to contextualise the wider belief in Snape as a character who extends beyond book and film.

   • 2023 May 6, James Poniewozik, “Charles III Was Crowned King. But Can He Ever Be the Star?”, in The New York Times‎^[2]:

     But Harry, in his civilian suit, was also a reminder of the schism between the traditional and the modern in the royal family that can’t be drowned out by pageantry.

2. (religion) A formal division or split within a religious body.

   The schism between Sunnis and Shias happened quite early in Islamic history.

3. (Catholicism) a split within Christianity whereby a group no longer recognizes the Bishop of Rome as the head of the Church, but shares essentially the same beliefs with the Church of Rome. In other words, a political split without the introduction of heresy.

Synonyms

• (split or separation): division, separation, split

Antonyms

• (split, division, separation): unity

Derived terms

• schism-shop

 

Related terms

• schismatic

Translations

split, division, separation, discord

• Arabic: please add this translation if you can
• Armenian: please add this translation if you can
• Belarusian: раскол m (raskól)
• Bulgarian: схизма (bg) f (shizma)
• Dutch: schisma (nl) f
• Esperanto: skismo
• Finnish: skisma (fi)
• French: schisme (fr)
• Georgian: please add this translation if you can
• German: Zerwürfnis (de) n, Spaltung (de) f, Schisma (de) n
• Greek: σχίσμα (el) n (schísma)

  Ancient: σχίσμα n (skhísma)

• Hebrew: פילוג m (pilúg), פיצול (he) m (pitsúl)
• Hungarian: szkizma (hu)
• Italian: scisma (it) m
• Japanese: please add this translation if you can
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Latvian: please add this translation if you can
• Lithuanian: please add this translation if you can
• Macedonian: ра́скол m (ráskol)
• Maori: tauwehe
• Occitan: esquisma (oc) m, cisma (oc) m
• Persian: please add this translation if you can
• Polish: schizma (pl) f
• Portuguese: cisão (pt) f, desmembramento (pt) m
• Romanian: schismă (ro) f
• Russian: раскол (ru) (raskol)
• Serbo-Croatian: раскол m (raskol)
• Slovak: schizma f, rozkol m
• Spanish: cisma (es) m
• Swedish: schism (sv) c, splittring (sv) c
• Tagalog: sisma
• Thai: please add this translation if you can
• Turkish: hizip (tr)
• Ukrainian: розко́л m (rozkól)
• Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can

division within a religious body

• Bulgarian: схизма (bg) f (shizma)
• French: schisme (fr) m
• German: Schisma (de) n
• Greek: σχίσμα (el) n (schísma)

  Ancient: σχίσμα n (skhísma)

• Hungarian: hitszakadás (hu)
• Italian: scisma (it) m
• Japanese: シスマ (shisuma)
• Macedonian: ши́зма f (šízma), ра́скол m (ráskol)
• Middle English: scisme
• Occitan: esquisma (oc) m, cisma (oc) m
• Polish: schizma (pl) f
• Portuguese: cisma (pt) m
• Romanian: schismă (ro) f
• Russian: схи́зма (ru) f (sxízma)
• Serbo-Croatian: раскол m (raskol)
• Spanish: cisma (es) m
• Ukrainian: розко́л m (rozkól), схи́зма f (sxýzma)

split within Christianity

• Albanian: please add this translation if you can
• Armenian: please add this translation if you can
• Belarusian: раскол m (raskól), схізма f (sxizma), раздзел цэркваў m (razdzjel cerkvaŭ)
• Bulgarian: схизма (bg) f (shizma)
• Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
• Estonian: please add this translation if you can
• French: schisme (fr) m
• German: Schisma (de) n
• Greek: σχίσμα (el) n (schísma)
• Hungarian: egyházszakadás (hu)
• Italian: scisma (it) m
• Japanese: シスマ (shisuma)
• Latvian: please add this translation if you can
• Lithuanian: please add this translation if you can
• Macedonian: ши́зма f (šízma), ра́скол m (ráskol)
• Occitan: cisma (oc) m, esquisma (oc) m
• Polish: schizma (pl) f
• Portuguese: cisma (pt) m
• Romanian: schismă (ro) f
• Russian: схи́зма (ru) f (sxízma)
• Serbo-Croatian: раскол m (raskol)
• Slovak: please add this translation if you can
• Spanish: cisma (es) m
• Tagalog: sisma
• Turkish: please add this translation if you can
• Ukrainian: розко́л m (rozkól), схи́зма f (sxýzma)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Esperanto: skismo

Anagrams

• Chisms