Definitions for fraction
ˈfræk ʃənfrac·tion

Princeton's WordNet(2.11 / 9 votes)Rate this definition:

1. fraction(noun)

   a component of a mixture that has been separated by a fractional process

2. fraction(noun)

   a small part or item forming a piece of a whole

3. fraction(verb)

   the quotient of two rational numbers

4. divide, fraction(verb)

   perform a division

   "Can you divide 49 by seven?"

Wiktionary(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. fraction(Noun)

   A part of a whole, especially a comparatively small part.

   Etymology: From Middle English fraccioun (a breaking), from Anglo-Norman, from fractio, from frangere, past participle fractus.

2. fraction(Noun)

   A ratio of two numbers, the numerator and the denominator, usually written one above the other and separated by a horizontal bar.

   Etymology: From Middle English fraccioun (a breaking), from Anglo-Norman, from fractio, from frangere, past participle fractus.

3. fraction(Noun)

   A component of a mixture, separated by fractionation.

   Etymology: From Middle English fraccioun (a breaking), from Anglo-Norman, from fractio, from frangere, past participle fractus.

4. fraction(Noun)

   In a eucharistic service, the breaking of the host.

   Etymology: From Middle English fraccioun (a breaking), from Anglo-Norman, from fractio, from frangere, past participle fractus.

5. fraction(Noun)

   A small amount.

   Etymology: From Middle English fraccioun (a breaking), from Anglo-Norman, from fractio, from frangere, past participle fractus.

6. fraction(Verb)

   To divide or break into fractions.

   Etymology: From Middle English fraccioun (a breaking), from Anglo-Norman, from fractio, from frangere, past participle fractus.

Webster Dictionary(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Fraction(noun)

   the act of breaking, or state of being broken, especially by violence

   Etymology: [F. fraction, L. fractio a breaking, fr. frangere, fractum, to break. See Break.]

2. Fraction(noun)

   a portion; a fragment

   Etymology: [F. fraction, L. fractio a breaking, fr. frangere, fractum, to break. See Break.]

3. Fraction(noun)

   one or more aliquot parts of a unit or whole number; an expression for a definite portion of a unit or magnitude

   Etymology: [F. fraction, L. fractio a breaking, fr. frangere, fractum, to break. See Break.]

4. Fraction(verb)

   to separate by means of, or to subject to, fractional distillation or crystallization; to fractionate; -- frequently used with out; as, to fraction out a certain grade of oil from pretroleum

   Etymology: [F. fraction, L. fractio a breaking, fr. frangere, fractum, to break. See Break.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Fraction

   A fraction represents a part of a whole or, more generally, any number of equal parts. When spoken in everyday English, a fraction describes how many parts of a certain size there are, for example, one-half, eight-fifths, three-quarters. A common, vulgar, or simple fraction consists of an integer numerator, displayed above a line, and a non-zero integer denominator, displayed below that line. The numerator represents a number of equal parts and the denominator indicates how many of those parts make up a whole. For example, in the fraction 3/4, the numerator, 3, tells us that the fraction represents 3 equal parts, and the denominator, 4, tells us that 4 parts make up a whole. The picture to the right illustrates or 3/4 of a cake. Numerators and denominators are also used in fractions that are not simple, including compound fractions, complex fractions, and mixed numerals. Fractional numbers can also be written without using explicit numerators or denominators, by using decimals, percent signs, or negative exponents. An integer such as the number 7 can be thought of as having an implied denominator of one: 7 equals 7/1.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Fraction

   frak′shun, n. a fragment or very small piece: (arith.) any part of a unit: a technical term to indicate the breaking of the bread in the sacrifice of the Eucharist.—v.t. Fract (Shak.), to break, to violate.—adjs. Fract′ed (her.), having a part displaced, as if broken; Frac′tional, belonging to or containing a fraction or fractions; Frac′tionary, fractional: unimportant.—v.t. Frac′tionate, to separate the elements of a mixture by distillation or otherwise.—n. Fractionā′tion.—v.t. Frac′tionise, to break up into fractions.—n. Frac′tionlet, a small fraction.—adj. Frac′tious, ready to quarrel: cross.—adv. Frac′tiously.—ns. Frac′tiousness; Frac′ture, the breaking of any hard body: the breach or part broken: the breaking of a bone.—v.t. to break through.—Compound, Comminuted, Complicated fracture (see the respective adjectives); Greenstick fracture, a fracture where the bone is partly broken, partly bent, occurring in the limbs of children; Simple fracture, a fracture when the bone only is divided. [O. Fr. fraccion—L. fraction-em—frangĕre, fractum, to break.]

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'fraction' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3920

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'fraction' in Nouns Frequency: #1871

How to pronounce fraction?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say fraction in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of fraction in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of fraction in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of fraction in a Sentence

1. Stephen Jay Gould:

   “The literal record was not a hopelessly and imperfect fraction of truly insensible gradation within large populations but an accurate reflection of the actual process identified by evolutionists as the chief motor of biological change. The theory of punctuated equilibrium was, in its initial formulation, little more than this insight adumbrated.”

2. Lawrence Lessig:

   We have to put this issue on the table because the politicians won't talk about it otherwise, what has happened is that this concentration of influence has made it impossible for the government to actually function for either issues on the right or on the left. It is corruption, because the framers intended for our government, as Madison put it, to be dependent on the people alone. We have a system where these members of Congress spend 30-70% of their time raising money from the tiniest fraction of the 1 percent.

3. Emeasoba George:

   Are you aware of this? No matter how big your dream seems to you. It's just a fraction of what God has in mind for you. Besides, no matter how big what you've lost previously seems to you. It's equally a fraction of what God intends or plans to restore back to you. In other words, God has a lot of goodies in stock for you, even beyond your imagination and expectation. I mean, the best days and things of your life are yet to come. Oh! yes, I do believe that undoubtedly. You too may or may not believe that anyway.

4. Neena Chaudhry:

   When we sort of peel back the layers a bit, the fact that these women are still playing on artificial turf or did for this World Cup ... and the fact that the prize money is just a fraction of what the men get, I think that is indicative of unfortunately the second-class status that girls and women's sports still face.

5. Mark Caserta:

   Why would somebody pay $100,000 in legal fees to go to trial when they can pay a fraction of that and be done with it?

Images & Illustrations of fraction

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