Fraction: Definition, Usage & Key Examples

Meaning 1：small part (fraction)

fraction 🔊

/ˈfræk.ʃən/

A very small or tiny part, amount, or proportion of something.

$Illustration of fraction meaning: a tiny slice cut from a large whole cake$

small part 🔊

➕

/smɔːl pɑːt/

A very minor or insignificant portion of a larger whole, often used to emphasize how little something is compared to the total.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'frangere' (to break). A fraction is a 'broken-off' piece of the whole.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a cracker you FRACTURE. A FRACTION is just a small, broken piece of it.

📖 Example

I only spent a fraction of my monthly budget on entertainment, saving the rest for future travels. 🔊 Only a very small portion of my monthly budget was allocated to entertainment.

🔗 Collocations

a fraction of – a very small part of something

a tiny fraction – an extremely small part

only a fraction – emphasizing the smallness of the amount

🔄 Synonyms

portion (n.) – a part of a whole

fragment (n.) – a small piece broken off from something larger

sliver (n.) – a very small, thin piece of something

🚫 Antonyms

whole (n.) – all of something; the entire amount

entirety (n.) – the whole of something

majority (n.) – the greater part or number

🌱 Derivatives

fractional (adj.) – relating to or being a fraction; very small

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'fractio' (a breaking), which came from 'frangere' (to break). It entered English via Old French 'fraccion'. In mathematics, it became a core concept for representing parts of a whole, essential for science, engineering, and daily measurements.