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

With 8,000 subscribers and growing fast, it’s led by Kamil Banc, fractional chief AI officer and strategic advisor helping companies turn AI potential into measurable results. —Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

NetJets, with its unrivaled safety record and successful model of selling fractional shares of planes, remains the overwhelmingly dominant leader. —Robert Frank, CNBC, 20 June 2025

If billionaires don’t want aircrafts all to themselves—or don’t want to shell out the big bucks to store, maintain and staff their own planes—another option is fractional ownership, which means purchasing a share of a plane and access to it for a proportional number of hours per year. —Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025

That’s why a growing number of companies are turning to a hybrid model built around an in-house fractional CMO. —Stephen Spratley, Forbes.com, 5 June 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