fraction
Americannoun
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Mathematics.
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a number usually expressed in the form a/b.
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a ratio of algebraic quantities similarly expressed.
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Chemistry. (in a volatile mixture) a component whose range of boiling point temperatures allows it to be separated from other components by fractionation.
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a part as distinct from the whole of anything; portion or section.
The meeting started with a fraction of us present.
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a very small part or segment of anything; minute portion.
Only a fraction of the work was completed on time.
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a very small amount; a little bit.
It was only a fraction away from completion.
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a piece broken off; fragment or bit.
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the act of breaking.
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Ecclesiastical. (in a Eucharistic service) the breaking of the Host.
verb (used with or without object)
noun
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maths
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a ratio of two expressions or numbers other than zero
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any rational number that is not an integer
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any part or subdivision
a substantial fraction of the nation
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a small piece; fragment
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chem a component of a mixture separated by a fractional process, such as fractional distillation
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Christianity the formal breaking of the bread in Communion
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the act of breaking
verb
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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.
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A chemical component separated by fractionation.
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.
Related Words
See part.
Other Word Forms
- subfraction noun
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”; break ) + -iōn- -ion
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.
Less than one percent of American adults are active-duty service members in the military, with an even smaller fraction of that percentage seeing combat.
From Salon
To put that in context, it is a tiny fraction of the around £900bn generated in total in taxation annually.
From BBC
"I think they may be scared... I am scared too," the 40-year-old said, adding she was only making a fraction of her usual earnings.
From Barron's
It costs $215 a month, which is slightly cheaper than her previous policy — but it provides a fraction of the coverage she once had.
From MarketWatch
Accessories—anything from shoelace charms to glitter freckles to decor for your decor—give consumers ways to update their look and express themselves at a fraction of the cost.
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.
