fractional

adjective

frac·​tion·​al ˈfrak-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce fractional (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or being a fraction
2
: of, relating to, or being fractional currency
3
: relatively small : inconsiderable
4
: of, relating to, or involving a process for separating components of a mixture through differences in physical or chemical properties
fractional distillation
fractionally adverb

Examples of fractional in a Sentence

There has been a fractional rise in the price of the stock. There is only a fractional improvement in the new version.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Another differentiator is that while the demand for charters and jet cards seems to have normalized, fractional business continues to rise. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2025 Despite the upbeat earnings news, shares in Comcast sank as much as 10% in the opening hour of the trading day – a dramatic move for a stock that typically moves in fractional increments. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2025 Christine Pilkington is the CEO and founder of Crisp, a fractional CMO and contract marketing services firm based in Vancouver, Canada. Christine Pilkington, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025 With this partnership, fans can now earn revenue from any of their favorite artists, creators can sell fractional shares of their songs, and rights owners can trade royalty shares. Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for fractional 

Word History

Etymology

fraction + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fractional was in 1650

Dictionary Entries Near fractional

Cite this Entry

“Fractional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fractional. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

fractional

adjective
frac·​tion·​al ˈfrak-shnəl How to pronounce fractional (audio)
-shən-ᵊl
1
: of, relating to, or being a fraction
fractional equivalents of percentages
2
: fairly small
fractionally
adverb

Medical Definition

fractional

adjective
frac·​tion·​al -shən-ᵊl, -shnəl How to pronounce fractional (audio)
: of, relating to, or involving a process for separating components of a mixture through differences in physical or chemical properties
fractional distillation

More from Merriam-Webster on fractional

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