VocabauraVOCABAURA

fractionation

noun

Simple meaning

A separation process in which a certain quantity of a mixture is divided up into smaller quantities in which the composition changes according to a gradient.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

frakshuhnayshuhn

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈfɹækʃəˈneɪʃən

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. chemistryuncountablecountable

    A separation process in which a certain quantity of a mixture is divided up into smaller quantities (fractions) in which the composition changes according to a gradient; an instance of this process.

  2. radiotherapy

    The division of a total dose of radiation into fractions.

  3. chemistryuncountablecountable

    Separation into portions

  4. A form of hypnosis where the patient is made to enter and leave a trance state many times in quick succession.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C2 · Proficient
Frequency
Rare

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: A separation process in which a certain quantity of a mixture is divided up into smaller quantities (fractions) in which the composition changes according to a gradient; an instance of this process.

Used this way, fractionation is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. This is a scientific use: it names something precisely within a field of study, so it appears in research and teaching more than in conversation.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Specialist/technical
Intensity
Mild
How common
Specialized
Connotation
Clinical and technical
Usage feel
Technical and specialized

Where it naturally appears

  • Science
  • Academic writing
  • Technical/specialist writing

Usage note

In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

Share your sentence

Write your own example sentence using “fractionation”. We review each one before it appears.

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

cell fractionationdose fractionationisotope fractionationisotopic fractionationflow fractionationsize fractionationchemical fractionationcrystal fractionation

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Word family

Words built from the same root.

  • fractionaladjectiveDerived adjective

    Constituting or comprising a part or fraction of a possible whole or entirety.

Related words

Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Use it yourself

Keep learning “fractionation” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.

Know the meaning? Practice vocabulary in real situations.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.