fraction

American  

[frak-shuhn] / ˈfræk ʃən /

noun

• fractions
  plural

1. Mathematics.

   1. a number usually expressed in the form a/b.

   2. a ratio of algebraic quantities similarly expressed.

2. Chemistry. (in a volatile mixture) a component whose range of boiling point temperatures allows it to be separated from other components by fractionation.

3. a part as distinct from the whole of anything; portion or section.

   The meeting started with a fraction of us present.

4. a very small part or segment of anything; minute portion.

   Only a fraction of the work was completed on time.

5. a very small amount; a little bit.

   It was only a fraction away from completion.

6. a piece broken off; fragment or bit.

7. the act of breaking.

8. Ecclesiastical. (in a Eucharistic service) the breaking of the Host.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to divide or break into fractions, sections, factions, etc..

   Dissension threatens to fraction the powerful union.

fraction British  

/ ˈfrækʃən /

noun

1. maths

   1. a ratio of two expressions or numbers other than zero

   2. any rational number that is not an integer

2. any part or subdivision

   a substantial fraction of the nation

3. a small piece; fragment

4. chem a component of a mixture separated by a fractional process, such as fractional distillation

5. Christianity the formal breaking of the bread in Communion

6. the act of breaking

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verb

1. (tr) to divide

fraction Scientific  

/ frăk′shən /

1. A number that compares part of an object or a set with the whole, especially the quotient of two whole numbers written in the form a/b. The fraction 1/2, which means 1 divided by 2, can represent such things as 10 pencils out of a box of 20, or 50 cents out of a dollar.

2. See also decimal fraction improper fraction proper fraction

3. A chemical component separated by fractionation.

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fraction Cultural  

1. A mathematical expression representing the division of one whole number by another. Usually written as two numbers separated by a horizontal or diagonal line, fractions are also used to indicate a part of a whole number or a ratio between two numbers. Fractions may have a value of less than one, as with 1/2, or equal to one, as with 2/2, or more than one, as with 3/2. The top number of a fraction is the numerator and the bottom number is the denominator.

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Usage

What does fraction mean? A fraction is any part separated or distinct from its whole, as in After the party, just a fraction of the large cake was left. A fraction can also be a very small part of a whole, as in We only understand a fraction of how the human mind works. In mathematics, fraction is a number that is expressed as a proportion, as 1/2 or 2/3. The number on the bottom represents the total number of parts of one unit, while the number on the top is the portion of the unit being considered. For example, in 1/2 the 2 represents two halves of one whole and the 1 represents the amount of parts being observed, in this case one. To fraction means to divide into sections or fractions, as in Politics often fractions people into self-interested groups. Example: That announcement is only a fraction of what’s in store tonight.

Synonym Usage

See part.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subfraction
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fractions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fraction

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fraccioun, from Late Latin frāctiōn- (stem of frāctiō ) “a breaking (in pieces),” equivalent to Latin frāct(us) (past participle of frangere “to break, shatter”; see break) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

A fraction is a part of a whole. If two of you split the take from a bank heist, you would each get half. If you had a getaway driver, then the money would be split three ways, into fractions of one-third each. The quotient of two numbers is called a fraction, as is the action of performing division. Most of us, however, think of a fraction as a small part of an item — as in: "You only use a fraction of your actual brain power in the course of your life." Just think of a whole as a pie, and a fraction as a slice of that pie.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fraction fractions

The company was founded just two years ago but already rivals leading manufacturers such as Europe's Ducati and Japanese giants Yamaha and Honda with a bike retailing for a fraction of their prices.

From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026

"A high fraction of compounds were the product of organic chemistry with minerals," said organic mass spectrometry specialist Phil Schmitt-Kopplin of Technical University Munich.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

The federal government directly spends about A$700m on nature protection, a fraction of the A$33bn – or 1% of GDP – conservationists say it should be.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Pushing back against speculation regarding his political loyalties, Ellison pledged “independence” for his newsrooms and argued that the combined entity would control only a fraction of the streaming market.

From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026

But they amounted to only a tiny fraction of Chicago’s blacks, and their ranks were slow to grow.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Tokenization allows investors to own fractions of an asset, rather than the whole thing, and blockchain hosting — theoretically, at least — enables payment, settlement, change of ownership and custody on a digital ledger.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

Another five publications followed, including a 2025 textbook on continued fractions published by Springer.

From Slate ● May 2, 2026

Titan's slightly elongated orbit can disturb inner moons when their orbital periods become simple fractions of Titan's.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 27, 2026

To be sure, weird things happen on ice and snow when athletes are ripping down mountains and carving around sharp turns—and glory is decided by fractions of a second.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

In one school they’d be doing fractions, which he’d already done, but in another they’d be halfway through a unit on geometry that was totally new to him.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• chunk
• half
• portion