fractional
Americanadjective
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pertaining to fractions; comprising a part or the parts of a unit; constituting a fraction.
fractional numbers.
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comparatively small; inconsiderable or insignificant.
The profit on the deal was fractional.
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Chemistry. of or noting a process, as distillation, crystallization, or oxidation, by which the component substances of a mixture are separated according to differences in certain of their properties, as boiling point, critical temperature, or solubility.
adjective
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relating to, containing, or constituting one or more fractions
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of or denoting a process in which components of a mixture are separated by exploiting differences in their physical properties, such as boiling points, solubility, etc
fractional distillation
fractional crystallization
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very small or insignificant
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broken up; fragmented
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Super Micro plans to issue $1.25 billion in new shares and $3.75 billion of depositary shares, which represent fractional interests in the company’s newly-issued convertible preferred stock.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
Shareholders who would be entitled to receive fractional shares will instead receive a cash payment from the company’s transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Jet fuel is essentially a highly refined form of kerosene with specialised additives, and is usually produced from fractional distillation of crude oil.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
Trading is available 24 hours a day on weekdays, and investors can buy fractional shares for as little as $1.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
When the sun reached its zenith and stood still the fractional moment, Nat took his reading.
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.