Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fraction” come from?

Fraction comes from Middle English fraccioun, from Old French fraction, from Latin fractio, a noun formation from the root bʰreg- meaning to break.

fraction (English): A part of a whole, especially a comparatively...

Definitions

  1. A part of a whole, especially a comparatively...

Ancestry of “fraction”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfracciouna breaking
2Occitanfracciona part; fraction
3Latinfractiothe action of breaking; fraction
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “fraction”

  • fractional
  • fractionation
  • fractious
  • fractionally
  • fractionalization
  • fractionate
  • fractiousness
  • fractile
  • prefractionation
  • fractionator
  • intrafraction
  • subfraction
  • hypofractionation
  • interfraction
  • fractiously
  • subfractionation
  • fractionalize
  • fractionary
  • interfractional
  • fractionization
  • fractionality
  • multifractional
  • fractionable
  • nonfractional
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →