Fractionary: meaning, definitions and examples

Primarily used in highly specialized or technical contexts. Can be used similarly to 'fractional', but is less common.

• The chemist examined the fractionary composition of the solution

Refers to something that is very small in quantity or amount, often less than a whole, or to partial aspects in mathematical terms.

• The increase in salary was only fractional compared to the cost of living rise

Mainly used in grammar to describe a construction that indicates a part of a whole, often in relation to quantities.

• In the sentence 'some of the cake', 'some' is a partitive construction

When something is split or separated into parts, often in a more general sense that isn't limited to mathematical fractions.

• The land was divided into several smaller plots for the new housing development