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 question of which individual investor owns which share of which company is surprisingly murky, an artifact of arcane market plumbing made more difficult by the rise of ETFs and fractional share ownership. —Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025

One of those smarter ways is fractional leadership, bringing in a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) or security partner without carrying the cost of a full-time executive. —Matt Emma, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025

This could be a fractional CFO, a CPA, or an exit advisor who doesn’t get a commission on the sale. —Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

They have been touted as a way to deepen liquidity, support fractional ownership and widen access for overseas investors in US stock markets. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025

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