decimal fraction

American  

[des-uh-muhl frak-shuhn, des-muhl] / ˈdɛs ə məl ˌfræk ʃən, ˈdɛs məl /

noun

Arithmetic.

1. a fraction whose denominator is some power of 10, usually indicated by a decimal point placed before the numerator, as 0.4 = 4/10; 0.126 = 126/1000.

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decimal fraction British  

noun

1. another name for decimal

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decimal fraction Scientific  

1. A decimal having no digits to the left of the decimal point except zero, such as 0.2 or 0.00354.

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Etymology

Origin of decimal fraction

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

Even a 1-0 or 2-1 defeat to South Africa would see the victors go level on points with England, but above them by a decimal fraction.

From The Guardian • Jul. 14, 2012

The race was nip-&-tuck; it was only by her decimal fraction that Mary Fontanna beat Gloria Miller of Pacific, Mo. Hoover & Garneld Sirs: I quote you from the irrepressible Walter Winchell's column of Sept.

From Time Magazine Archive

And the other was a frivolous system of pick-pocketing the Kansasters that had the department stores reduced to a decimal fraction.

From Rolling Stones by Henry, O.

They must also be able to change vulgar fractions into decimal fractions, and vice versâ, with examples like the following:— Change 15/16 into a decimal fraction of the same value.

From Guide to West Point, and the U.S. Military Academy by Various

They may then respond correctly when asked to write a decimal fraction, or to state which of these,—1⁄4, .4, 3⁄8, .07, .002, 5⁄6,—are common fractions and which are decimal fractions.

From The Psychology of Arithmetic by Thorndike, Edward L. (Edward Lee)