fractionate

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/ˈfɹæk.ʃəneɪt/

verb

To separate (a mixture) into its individual constituents by exploiting differences in some chemical or physical property, such as boiling point, particle size, solubility etc.

“Crude oil is fractionated in a refinery to produce a number of different petroleum products.”

OriginEnglish fraction ← Middle English fraccioun ← Old French fraccion →
RareScrabble 16
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Meanings

verbfractionate (third-person singular simple present fractionates, present participle fractionating, simple past and past participle fractionated)

present singular third person fractionates · participle present fractionating · participle past fractionated · past fractionated

  1. chemistryTo separate (a mixture) into its individual constituents by exploiting differences in some chemical or physical property, such as boiling point, particle size, solubility etc.

    Crude oil is fractionated in a refinery to produce a number of different petroleum products.

  2. radiotherapyTo divide a total dose of radiation into fractions.
  3. computingTo divide each plaintext symbol into several ciphertext symbols as a preliminary stage of encryption.
  4. To use the technique of fractionation in hypnosis.

Origin

  1. Old Frenchfraccion
  2. Middle Englishfraccioun
  3. Englishfraction
  4. Englishfractionate

From fraction + -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan fraccionar
  • fraccionarto separate a liquid into its constituent parts
French fractionner
  • fractionnerto separate a liquid into its constituent parts
Italian frazionare
  • frazionareto separate a liquid into its constituent parts
Māori īheuheu
  • īheuheuto separate a liquid into its constituent parts
Portuguese fracionar
  • fracionarto separate a liquid into its constituent parts
Spanish fraccionar
  • fraccionarto separate a liquid into its constituent parts
Cite this entry
APA

fractionate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fractionate

MLA

“fractionate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fractionate. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fractionate,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fractionate.

Source: fractionate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.