sedition

Pronunciation

• IPA: /səˈdɪʃən/^[1]

Etymology

It comes from Middle English sedicioun,^[2][3][4][5] from Old French sedicion^[2][3][4] and from Latin seditio (“civil disorder, dissension”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} literally “a going apart”,^[3][4][5] from sēd- “apart” and itiō “a going”, from īre “to go”.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Earliest recorded meaning

Violent strife between factions, often with rioting (about 1350 in Barnhart; about 1375 in the OED).^[3][7][2]

Semantic evolution

From 1585 the word meant a concerted movement to overthrow a government, a revolt;^[7] the OED notes that this sense is now rare.^[7] The current sense, conduct or language that incites rebellion against the authority of a state, is recorded from 1838.^[7]

Timeline

• about 1350 – violent strife between factions.^[3][7]
• 1435 – seditious.^[3]
• 1585 – a revolt or rebellion.^[7]
• 1838 – conduct or language inciting rebellion.^[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. Conduct or language that incites rebellion against the authority of a state.
2. Insurrection or rebellion.

Word family

• seditionist
• seditionary

Related words

• seditious
• secede
• treason
• issue

Usage notes

Random House lists insurrection and mutiny as synonyms and refers to its discussion at treason.^[6]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press