secession

[ si-sesh-uh n ]
/ sɪˈsɛʃ ən /

noun

an act or instance of seceding.
(often initial capital letter) U.S. History. the withdrawal from the Union of 11 Southern states in the period 1860–61, which brought on the Civil War.
(usually initial capital letter) Fine Arts. a style of art in Germany and Austria concurrent with and related to Art Nouveau.

Origin of secession

1525–35; < Latin sēcessiōn- (stem of sēcessiō) withdrawal, equivalent to sēcess(us) (past participle of sēcēdere to secede; see cession) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM secession

se·ces·sion·al, adjective non·se·ces·sion, noun non·se·ces·sion·al, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH secession

cession secession session

Example sentences from the Web for secession

British Dictionary definitions for secession

secession
/ (sɪˈsɛʃən) /

noun

the act of seceding
(often capital) mainly US the withdrawal in 1860–61 of 11 Southern states from the Union to form the Confederacy, precipitating the American Civil War

Derived forms of secession

secessional, adjective secessionism, noun secessionist, noun, adjective

Word Origin for secession

C17: from Latin sēcessiō a withdrawing, from sēcēdere to secede

Cultural definitions for secession

secession

The withdrawal from the United States of eleven southern states in 1860 and 1861. The seceding states formed a government, the Confederacy, in early 1861. Hostilities against the remaining United States, the Union, began in April 1861 (see Fort Sumter), and the Civil War followed.