frac·tion / ˈfrakshən/ • n. 1. a numerical quantity that is not a whole number (e.g., ¹/₂, 0.5). ∎  a small or tiny part, amount, or proportion of something: he hesitated for a fraction of a second her eyes widened a fraction. ∎  a dissenting group within a larger one. ∎  each of the portions into which a mixture may be separated by a process in which the individual components behave differently according to their physical properties.2. (usu. the Fraction) (in the Christian Church) the breaking of the Eucharistic bread.

fraction numerical quantity that is not an integer XIV; breaking or its result XV. — (O)F. — ChrL. fractiō, -ōn, breaking (as of bread), f. fract-, pp. stem of frangere BREAK1; see -TION.
Hence fractional XVII. fractious refractory, (now) cross, peevish XVIII; f. FRACTION (in obs. sense ‘discord, dissention’). So fracture sb. XV. — (O)F. fracture or L. fractūra, Hence fractured XVII, whence fracture vb. XIX.

fraction Quotient written in the form of one number divided by another. A fraction is a/b, where a is the numerator and b the denominator. If a and b are whole numbers, the quotient is a simple fraction. If a is smaller than b, it is a proper fraction; if b is smaller than a, it is an improper fraction. In an algebraic fraction the denominator, or the numerator and denominator, are algebraic expressions, e.g. x/(x²+2). In composite fractions, both the numerator and denominator are themselves fractions.

Fraction. The breaking of the bread which, in all liturgies of the eucharist, precedes communion. It recalls Jesus' action at the Last Supper (Matthew 26. 26) and reflects 1 Corinthians 10. 16b f.

fraction (fractional number) Another name for rational number. Numbers represented in floating-point notation are necessarily fractional.