fractionation
Americannoun
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the act or process of fractionating.
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the state of being fractionated.
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Military. the division of a missile's payload into several warheads.
Etymology
Origin of fractionation
First recorded in 1925–30; fractionate + -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.
Keyera’s planned takeover, unveiled in June of last year, would establish a natural-gas-liquids corridor in Canada for the company, with assets that include extraction, fractionation and storage operations, as well as rail and truck terminals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
The study, titled "Extreme triple oxygen isotope fractionation in Equisetum," examines horsetails, which are hollow-stemmed plants that have existed on the planet for more than 400 million years.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2025
“As a result, that kind of fractionation really doesn’t help you understand either the level of investment very directly, or the impact,” Wayburn said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2024
During the quarter, the company saw operational records for natural gas pipeline volumes and natural gas liquids fractionation volumes.
From Reuters ● Aug. 1, 2023
Various methods of fractionation are similarly available, chiefly the precipitation of the intermediate 'dextrins' by alcohol.
From Researches on Cellulose 1895-1900 by Cross, C. F.
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.
