schism

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

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

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

• Audio (US):

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• Audio (US):

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• Rhymes: -ɪzəm

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, archived from the original on 20 December 2014, 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.

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

• (split, division, separation): unity

• schismatic
• schismatize

schism (third-person singular simple present schisms, present participle schisming, simple past and past participle schismed)

1. (transitive) To split, divide (a group or organization).
   • 2025 June 14, Guy Chazan, quoting Charlie Kirk, “Trump's anti-war pledge tested amid Maga base fear of fresh conflict”, in FT Weekend, page 4:

     “This is going to schism Maga terribly online,” Kirk said. “You're going to see—I don't want to say a Maga civil war, but it's going to be a Maga online food fight that is going to be very hard to navigate.”

• Chisms

schism c

1. a schism

   Synonym: splittring

   • 1894, Gustaf Fröding, “Idealism och realism [Idealism and Realism]”, in Nya dikter [New Poems]:

     Nu är jag led vid tidens schism
     emellan jord och stjärnor.
     Vår idealism och realism
     de klyva [old present tense plural, usually klyver] våra hjärnor.
     
     Det ljugs, när porträtterat grus
     får namn av konst och fägring.
     En syn, som svävar skön och ljus
     i skyn, är sann som hägring.
     
     Men strunt är strunt och snus är snus,
     om ock i gyllne [gyllene] dosor,
     och rosor i ett sprucket krus
     är ändå alltid rosor.

     Now I am weary of the current [the time's] schism
     between earth and stars.
     Our idealism and realism
     they split our brains.
     
     People lie [it is lied], when portrayed dust [gravel, sometimes used figuratively like dust, especially in the past]
     gets called art and beauty ["gets name of" – archaic].
     A sight, that floats fair and bright
     in the sky, is true as a mirage.
     
     But nonsense is nonsense and snuff is snuff [fairly well-known line],
     if also in golden boxes [small boxes with a lid].
     And roses in a cracked jug
     are still always roses.
     

• schism in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• schism in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• schism in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Borrowed from English schism.

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɡɪsm/, [ˈskɪsm]

schism m (uncountable, not mutable)

1. obsolete spelling of sgism (“schism”)

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “sgism”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies