Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Fraction has 6 different meanings across 2 categories:
a component of a mixture that has been separated by a fractional process
"The crude oil was heated to separate it into various fractions, each containing molecules of different sizes."
a small part or item forming a piece of a whole
"After eating the first slice, she took another fraction from the remaining pizza."
the quotient of two rational numbers
"In his math homework, the student calculated that three divided by four is a fraction representing the quotient of two rational numbers."
A part of a whole, especially a comparatively small part.
"Only a tiny fraction of the audience actually understood the complex instructions."
In plain English: A fraction is a way to show parts of a whole using numbers on top and bottom.
"The small fraction of voters who showed up changed the election result."
Usage: Use the noun to describe any portion smaller than one complete unit, such as half an hour or a quarter cup. Avoid confusing it with "fractional," which is an adjective used only when describing something divided in parts rather than referring to the part itself.
To divide or break into fractions.
"The teacher showed how to fraction the apple into eight equal slices."
In plain English: To fraction something means to break it into small pieces, but this verb is rarely used on its own and usually appears as part of phrases like "to make a fraction," which actually refers to the noun meaning a piece of a whole number. Since there isn't really a common everyday action you take when you use "fraction" as a verb in normal conversation, it's best understood by knowing that fractions are parts of numbers rather than something people actively do with objects daily.
"The old bridge began to fracture under the weight of the heavy truck."
The word "fraction" comes from Old French and Medieval Latin, where it originally meant a breaking or a fragment. It ultimately traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root for "to break."