sept

sept — noun

1. a short written form of the word September, used in dates, notes, and schedules

1.nounA1
Definition

a short written form of the word September, used in dates, notes, and schedules

Example

The visa application must arrive by 30 Sept, or it will not be processed in time.

written abbreviation: day + Sept

Takeshi booked his flight for 12 Sept and asked for two extra days of leave.

Grammar Patterns

day + Sept

Sept + year

Usage Note

In formal writing, the abbreviation is often written with a period (Sept.). In informal notes, calendars, or tables, the period is frequently dropped.

Common Mistakes

The invoice is dated 12 Sep 2025.
The invoice is dated 12 Sept 2025.
The standard abbreviation for September is Sept, not Sep.

2. a group of people within a larger tribe or clan who share one ancestor, especial

2.nounC1
Definition

a group of people within a larger tribe or clan who share one ancestor, especially in Irish and Scottish traditions — for example, a particular family line within the broader Campbell clan.

Example

The O'Neill sept controlled much of the northern territory during the sixteenth century.

collocation: [clan name] + sept

Noor discovered that her ancestors belonged to a sept within the larger MacDonald clan.

sept + within + clan name

Common collocations
  • sept of the clan
  • family sept
  • within a sept
  • sept chieftain
  • sept territory
Synonyms
  • subclan

    a more general term for any clan division, not tied to Irish or Scottish traditions

  • lineage

    focuses on the direct line of descent rather than the group as a whole

Grammar Patterns

sept + of + clan/tribe name

Common Mistakes

The sept of the church disagreed on the new teachings.
The sect of the church disagreed on the new teachings.
'sept' refers to a family or clan division, not a religious subgroup. The word 'sect' is used for groups within a religion.