1550s, from Middle French section, from Latin sectionem (nominative sectio) "a cutting, cutting off, division," noun of action from past participle stem of secare "to cut," from PIE root *sek- "cut" (cf. Old Church Slavonic seko, sesti "to cut," secivo "ax, hatchet;" Lithuanian isekti "to engrave, carve;" Albanian sate "mattock;" Old Saxon segasna, Old English sigðe "scythe;" Old English secg "sword," seax "knife, short sword;" Old Irish doescim "I cut;" Latin saxum "rock, stone").