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-tiōtion, -ation, -ing
5Latindissertātiō(spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition
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

Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ
fraction — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer