Fraction: meaning, definitions and examples

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fraction

 

[ ˈfrækʃ(ə)n ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

mathematics

A fraction is a numerical quantity that is not a whole number; a part or a number of parts of a whole.

Synonyms

division, portion, segment

Examples of usage

  • She ate a fraction of the cake.
  • The glass was filled to three-quarters, which is equivalent to 3/4 as a fraction.
Context #2 | Noun

informal

A small or tiny part of something.

Synonyms

fragment, shred, sliver

Examples of usage

  • He only heard a fraction of the conversation.
  • The team won by a fraction of a second.
Context #3 | Noun

chemistry

A chemical compound composed of an atom or group of atoms bonded to an atom or group of atoms of another element.

Synonyms

blend, compound, mixture

Examples of usage

  • Water is a compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a 2:1 ratio, represented by the chemical formula H2O.

Translations

Translations of the word "fraction" in other languages:

🇵🇹 fração

🇮🇳 भिन्नांश

🇩🇪 Bruch

🇮🇩 pecahan

🇺🇦 дроб

🇵🇱 ułamek

🇯🇵 分数

🇫🇷 fraction

🇪🇸 fracción

🇹🇷 kesir

🇰🇷 분수

🇸🇦 كسر

🇨🇿 zlomek

🇸🇰 zlomok

🇨🇳 分数

🇸🇮 ulomek

🇮🇸 brot

🇰🇿 бөлшек

🇬🇪 წილი

🇦🇿 kəsir

🇲🇽 fracción

Etymology

The word 'fraction' originated from the Latin word 'fractus' meaning 'broken'. It first appeared in English in the late 14th century, with its mathematical meaning developing in the 16th century. Fractions have been used in various cultures throughout history to represent parts of a whole and to perform calculations involving division.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,163, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.