fraction

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

frac·tion [fraction fractions] BrE [ˈfrækʃn] NAmE [ˈfrækʃn] noun
1. a small part or amount of sth
•Only a small fraction of a bank's total deposits will be withdrawn at any one time.
•She hesitated for the merest fraction of a second.
•He raised his voice a fraction  If fraction is used with a plural noun, the verb is usually plural
•Only a fraction of cars in the UK use leaded petrol. If it is used with a singular noun that represents a group of people, the verb can be singular or plural in BrE, but is usually singular in NAmE
•A tiny fraction of the population never vote/votes.
2. a division of a number, for example ⅝
Syn: ↑rational number
compare ↑integer
see also ↑vulgar fraction

Word Origin:
late Middle English: via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin fractio(n-) ‘breaking (bread)’, from Latin frangere ‘to break’.

Language Bank:
proportion
Describing fractions and proportions
▪ According to this pie chart, a third of ▪ students' leisure time is spent watching TV.
One in five ▪ hours is/are spent socializing.
▪ Socializing accounts for ▪ / makes up ▪ / comprises ▪ about 20% of leisure time.
▪ Students spend twice as much ▪ time playing computer games as doing sport.
Three times as many ▪ hours are spent playing computer games as reading.
▪ The figure for playing computer games is three times higher than ▪ the figure for reading.
The largest proportion of ▪ time is spent playing computer games.
note at ↑half
Synonyms at ↑consist
Language Banks at ↑expect, ↑fall, ↑illustrate, ↑increase

Example Bank:
•A mere fraction of available wind energy is currently utilized.
•Express 25% as a fraction.
•The average income is high, though many people earn just a fraction of that average.
•Why not grow your own fruit at a fraction of the price?
•How do you express 25% as a fraction?