fractional

adjective

frac·​tion·​al ˈfrak-sh(ə-)nəl 

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

The reason is that investors don’t seem to like the idea of fractional share ownership, so reducing the share price makes the stock feel more accessible. —Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 June 2026

Stockholders will receive cash instead of fractional shares of FedEx Freight stock. —Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 2 June 2026

As retail participation surges, platforms must support cross-border compliance, fractional ownership, real-time settlement and the ability to handle massive, simultaneous trading volumes at scale. —Harry Temkin, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

The Amendment prohibited the depiction of Spencer M. Clark, the first superintendent of the National Currency Bureau in the 1860s, on a 5-cent fractional note. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 29 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

fraction + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fractional

• fractional currency

Rhymes for fractional

• factional
• interactional
• redactional
• transactional

Kids Definition

fractional

adjective

frac·​tion·​al ˈfrak-shnəl 

-shən-ᵊl

1

: of, relating to, or being a fraction

fractional equivalents of percentages

2

: fairly small

fractionally

-ē

adverb

Medical Definition

fractional

adjective

frac·​tion·​al -shən-ᵊl, -shnəl 

: of, relating to, or involving a process for separating components of a mixture through differences in physical or chemical properties

fractional distillation