1. to separate or divide into fractions or components, especially by a physical or chemical process
Usage: commonly used in chemistry and biology
2. to break down a liquid mixture into its constituent parts through distillation or similar methods
Usage: technical; often used in petroleum refining and biochemistry

Examples

• The laboratory will fractionate the blood sample to isolate different protein components.
• Oil refineries fractionate crude oil into gasoline, diesel, and other products.
• Scientists fractionate cell extracts to study individual organelles.
• The process fractionates the mixture based on molecular weight.
• Researchers fractionate serum proteins using gel electrophoresis.
• The centrifuge helps fractionate the suspension into distinct layers.