dissension

UK/dɪˈsɛnʃən/US/dɪˈsɛnʃən/

nounC2Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #12,126 of 15,258leans written

Other forms: dissensions

Dissension is angry disagreement within a group. Sow dissension, dissension in the ranks, open dissension.

The within is what matters: dissension is trouble among people who are supposed to be on the same side. Sow dissension is the fixed phrase, and it accuses somebody of causing it deliberately.

Definitions of dissension

1noundissensionAngry disagreement within a group.C2
“There was growing dissension within the party over the new leader.”

dissension is a disagreement.

Where it comes from

Latin dissensio comes from dissentire, to differ in opinion, from dis- plus sentire, to feel.

Latin
dissensio
Old French
dissension
Middle French
dissention
Middle English
dissencioun
English, today
dissension

Middle English dissencioun, from Middle French dissention, discention, from Old French dissension, from Latin dissensio.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

dissension in the wild

Due to internal dissension within his party, he resigned in 1905, and was succeeded as Liberal leader and premier by Lomer Gouin.
1904 Quebec general election
The group has since disbanded due to "dissension" amongst the members.
Son Goku (band)
The local Chapter #2144 was organized in 1866 during a period of labor agitation and dissension within local labor groups.
Hauschild's Hall
The 2022 Taliban dissension began in January 2022, the Taliban arrested 2 of its commanders, Makhdoom Alem, an ethnic Uzbek, and Qari Wakil, an ethnic Tajik.
2022 Taliban dissension

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

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