Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Schism for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Schism" — noun, pronounced /ˈskɪzəm/, with the stress on "schis".
Narrator: A schism is a division within a group, especially a church or party, caused by disagreement.
Narrator: In plain English, it is a serious split.
Narrator: It comes from Greek skhisma, a cleft.
Narrator: A common collocation is "a deep schism", which describes a serious division.
Narrator: It differs from "argument", because an argument can end, while a schism divides a group lastingly.
Narrator: In a second sense, schisms appear in open-source software communities, called forks.
Narrator: Religion, politics, history and organisations all rely on the word.
Narrator: So remember: a schism splits a group apart.
Speaker A: Why are there two chess clubs in town?
Speaker B: A SCHISM over the rules! From Greek skhisma, a cleft.
Speaker A: Over one rule?
Speaker B: Over tea breaks, honestly.
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "The Great Schism divided the church in 1054", history. "A schism in the party", politics. "The project suffered a schism", software.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Say "SKIZ-um" or "SIZ-um"; both are heard in Britain.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: Rift is its cousin, split its twin, and breach an alternative — yet schism keeps its weighty charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "schism" in AI prompts — useful for history lessons and community management.
Speaker A: How for history?
Speaker B: Explain events.
Prompt: Explain the causes of the 1054 East–West Schism for A-level students.
Speaker A: And communities?
Speaker B: Prevent splits.
Prompt: Suggest governance rules to prevent a schism in an open-source project.
Speaker A: Could it help news?
Speaker B: Yes, for balance.
Prompt: Summarise this report about a schism in the party neutrally.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: Mediation.
Prompt: Draft a message inviting both sides of a club schism to a reconciliation meeting.
Schism — meaning in Arabic & definition More S courses GL Dictionary