fractional

[frak-shuh-nl] Origin

frac·tion·al

[frak-shuh-nl]
adjective
1.
pertaining to fractions; comprising a part or the parts of a unit; constituting a fraction: fractional numbers.
2.
comparatively small; inconsiderable or insignificant: The profit on the deal was fractional.
3.
Chemistry. of or noting a process, as distillation, crystallization, or oxidation, by which the component substances of a mixture are separated according to differences in certain of their properties, as boiling point, critical temperature, or solubility.
Also, frac·tion·ar·y [frak-shuh-ner-ee] .


Origin:
1665–75; fraction + -al1

frac·tion·al·ly, adverb
sub·frac·tion·al, adjective
sub·frac·tion·al·ly, adverb
sub·frac·tion·ar·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Fractional is always a great word to know.
So is lye. Does it mean:
the solid product resulting from the distillation of coal in an oven or closed chamber or by imperfect combustion, consisting principally of carbon
a highly concentrated, aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, or any solution resulting from leaching or percolation
Collins
World English Dictionary
fractional (ˈfrækʃənəl, ˈfrækʃənərI)
 
adj
1.  relating to, containing, or constituting one or more fractions
2.  of or denoting a process in which components of a mixture are separated by exploiting differences in their physical properties, such as boiling points, solubility, etc: fractional distillation; fractional crystallization
3.  very small or insignificant
4.  broken up; fragmented
 
fractionary
 
adj
1.  relating to, containing, or constituting one or more fractions
2.  of or denoting a process in which components of a mixture are separated by exploiting differences in their physical properties, such as boiling points, solubility, etc: fractional distillation; fractional crystallization
3.  very small or insignificant
4.  broken up; fragmented
 
fractionally
 
adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

fractional
1670s, from fraction + -al (1).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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