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fraction

/ˈfɹæk.ʃən/ noun

In Latin: fractiō Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about fraction at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. A component of a mixture that has been separated by a fractional process.
  2. A small part or item forming a piece of a whole.
  3. The quotient of two rational numbers.

verb

  1. Perform a division.
    Can you divide 49 by seven?

Origin

From Middle English fraccioun (“a breaking”), from Anglo-Norman, Old French fraccion, from Medieval Latin fractio (“a fragment, portion”), from earlier Latin fractio (“a breaking, a breaking into pieces”), from fractus, past participle of frangere (“to break”) (whence English frangible), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreg- (English break). Doublet of frazione.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)