religious denomination

A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name and tradition, among other activities. The term refers to the various Christian denominations (for example, non-Chalcedonian, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and the branches of Protestantism, such as Lutheranism). It is also used to describe the five major branches of Judaism (Karaite Judaism, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist). Within Islam, it can refer to the religion's branches or sects (such as Sunni and Shia), as well as their various subdivisions, such as sub-sects, schools of jurisprudence, schools of theology and religious movements. (E.g., the Ismaili and Twelver sub-sects of Shia Islam, or the Islamic movements of Nur Cemaati and Salafiyya(h).)

The world's largest religious denomination is Sunni Islam.