[frac.tion] n [ME fraccioun, fr. LL fraction-, fractio act of breaking, fr. L frangere to break--more at break] (14c) 1 a: a numerical representation (as 3/4, 5/8, 3.234) indicating the quotient of two numbers b (1): a piece broken off: fragment (2): a discrete unit: portion
2: one of several portions (as of a distillate) separable by fractionation
3: bit, little "a ~ closer"