American spelling; to separate or divide something into fractions or component parts, particularly in chemistry and industrial processes.
From fraction + -ize (American verb suffix). The -ize ending is the standard American variant of -ise, though both now appear in both varieties of English.
The history of -ize goes back to ancient Greek and Middle English, making the American spelling technically more historically accurate, yet British -ise became standard through printing-house convention.
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