Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense factors, present participle factoring, past tense, past participle factored
1. countable noun
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision, or situation.
Physical activity is an important factor in maintaining fitness. [+ in]
Synonyms: element, thing, point, part More Synonyms of factor
2. countable noun [usually singular]
If an amount increases by afactorof two, for example, or by afactorof eight, then it becomes two times bigger or eight times bigger.
The cost of butter quadrupled and bread prices increased by a factor of five. [+ of]
3. singular noun
You can use factor to refer to a particular level on a scale of measurement.
...suncream with a protection factor of 8.
4. countable noun
A factor of a whole number is a smaller whole number which can be multiplied with another whole number to produce the first whole number.
[technical]
Phrasal verbs:
See factor in
More Synonyms of factor
factor in British English
(ˈfæktə)
noun
1.
an element or cause that contributes to a result
2. mathematics
a.
one of two or more integers or polynomials whose product is a given integer or polynomial
2 and 3 are factors of 6
b.
an integer or polynomial that can be exactly divided into another integer or polynomial
1, 2, 3, and 6 are all factors of 6
3. (foll by identifying numeral) medicine
any of several substances that participate in the clotting of blood
factor VIII
4.
a person who acts on another's behalf, esp one who transacts business for another
5. business
a business that makes loans in return for or on security of trade debts
6. former name for a gene
7. commercial law
a person to whom goods are consigned for sale and who is paid a factorage
8.
(in Scotland) the manager of an estate
verb
9. (intransitive)
to engage in the business of a factor
▶ USAGE Factor (sense 1) should only be used to refer to something which contributes to a result.It should not be used to refer to a part of something such as a plan or arrangement;instead a word such as component or element should be used
Derived forms
factorable (ˈfactorable)
adjective
factorability (ˌfactoraˈbility)
noun
factorship (ˈfactorˌship)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Latin: one who acts, from facere to do
factor in American English
(ˈfæktər)
noun
1.
one of the elements contributing to a particular result or situation
Poverty is only one of the factors in crime
2. Math
one of two or more numbers, algebraic expressions, or the like, that when multiplied together produce a given product; a divisor
6 and 3 are factors of 18
3. Biochemistry
any of certain substances necessary to a biochemical or physiological process, esp. those whose exact nature and function are unknown
4.
a business organization that lends money on accounts receivable or buys and collects accounts receivable
5.
a person who acts or transacts business for another; an agent
6.
an agent entrusted with the possession of goods to be sold in the agent's name; a merchant earning a commission by selling goods belonging to others
7.
a person or business organization that provides money for another's new business venture; one who finances another's business
8. See factor of production
9. Scot
the steward or bailiff of an estate
transitive verb
10. Math
to express (a mathematical quantity) as a product of two or more quantities of like kind, as 30 = 2·3·5, or x2−y2=(x + y) (x − y)
Compare "> expand (sense 4a)
11.
to act as a factor for
intransitive verb
12.
to act as a factor
13. See factor in
Derived forms
factorable
adjective
factorability
noun
factorship
noun
Word origin
[1400–50; late ME facto(u)r ‹ L factor maker, perpetrator, equiv. to fac(ere) to make, do + -tor-tor]
COBUILD Collocations
factor
big factor
cultural factors
determining factor
fun factor
genetic factor
identify a factor
lifestyle factor
main factor
negative factor
overriding factor
shock factor
single factor
success factor
unifying factor
various factors
Examples of 'factor' in a sentence
factor
She said that mealtimes were a key factor.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The growing popularity of internet banking is the major factor behind the closures.
The Sun (2016)
She wanted the wow factor and duly returned it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There are a number of other factors that employers should consider.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
And one factor that can have a considerable influence is our diet.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Factor in petrol costs and any additional overnight stays before deciding which is cheaper overall.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There are many factors to consider, specifically the three key points below.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Yet I fear that the validity of the observation is undercut by two factors.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We know that fat is only one factor in increasing the risks of these conditions.
Mervyn, Leonard Preventing Heart Disease (1987)
You need to review likely costs regularly and factor in changing circumstances.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This has become a key factor in our lives.
Christianity Today (2000)
Whether or not you get a home for a song depends on many factors.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But the real wow factor came from outside the four walls.
The Sun (2016)
The role of cost accounting is to identify the basic control factors used in managing a business.
Harris, Jean Everything You Need to Know for Success in Business (1990)
There are probably a large number of factors that contribute to this trend.
Siann, Gerda & Ugwuegbu, Denis C. E. Educational Psychology in a Changing World (1988)
Reducing factors that increase that risk is essential.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Wrap up warm and put on some moisturiser with a protection factor.
The Sun (2011)
The impact of the two remaining factors on net trade was less important.
Forstner, Helmut, Ballance, Robert Competing in a Global Economy (1990)
Comfort is another key factor for drivers who spend the day behind the wheel.
The Sun (2010)
That was one of the big factors.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
So this is what they mean by the feelgood factor.
The Sun (2016)
The second is to confuse cause and factor when looking at speed in crashes.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The transport of molecules through the arterial wall is another important factor.
Shreeve, Dr Caroline M Lower Your Blood Pressure in 4 Easy Stages (1989)
We have now reached the point at which the banks themselves have become a major risk factor.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
This is certainly one factor in recent rapid ice loss.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The second major factor is the personal concern employers have for their employees.
McKenzie, James F. & Pinger, Robert R. An Introduction to Community Health (1995)
This result implies that the marginal factor cost curve lies above the average factor cost curve.
Miller, Roger LeRoy & Fishe, Raymond P. H. Microeconomics: Price Theory in Practice (1995)
Whether or not it will be able to change depends on many factors.
Sanderson, Stephen K. Macrosociology: An Introduction to Human Societies (1995)
Money is one factor but the use of that money is more relevant.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
There is no real wow factor in the main menu but the food is good quality and well cooked.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
factor
British English: factor NOUN
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision, or situation.
Physical activity is an important factor in maintaining fitness.
American English: factor
Brazilian Portuguese: fator
Chinese: 因素
European Spanish: factor
French: facteur
German: Faktor
Italian: fattore
Japanese: 要因
Korean: 요인
European Portuguese: fator
Latin American Spanish: factor
All related terms of 'factor'
factor in
If you factor a particular cost or element into a calculation you are making, or if you factor it in , you include it.
F-factor
the quality of being sexually attractive
Q factor
a measure of the relationship between stored energy and rate of energy dissipation in certain electrical components , devices, etc, thus indicating their efficiency
R factor
→ resistance plasmid
Rh factor
The Rh factor is the same as the → rhesus factor .
X factor
an unknown or unexplained element that makes something more interesting or valuable
big factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
corn factor
a person who deals in corn
factor cost
(in social accounting) valuation of goods and services at their overall commercial cost , including markups but excluding indirect taxes and subsidies
factor VIII
a protein that participates in the clotting of blood. It is extracted from donated serum and used in the treatment of the commonest type of haemophilia , in which it is absent
fun factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
load factor
the ratio of the average electric load to the peak load over a period of time
main factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
risk factor
a factor , such as a habit or an environmental condition , that predisposes an individual to develop a particular disease
unit factor
the gene responsible for the inheritance of a unit character
view factor
The view factor is the degree to which heat carried by radiation can be passed between two surfaces.
wow factor
a striking or impressive feature
chill factor
→ windchill factor
common factor
a number or quantity that is a factor of each member of a group of numbers or quantities
fudge factor
any variable component added to an experiment , plan, or the like that can be manipulated to allow leeway for error
growth factor
any of several substances present in serum that induce growth of cells. Excessive amounts of growth factor may be associated with the production of cancer cells
house factor
an agent concerned with the valuation , management , lease , and sale of property
power factor
(in an electrical circuit ) the ratio of the power dissipated to the product of the input volts times amps
prime factor
any number in the set of prime numbers that is also a factor of a given integer
rhesus factor
The rhesus factor is something that is in the blood of most people. If someone's blood contains this factor, they are rhesus positive . If it does not, they are rhesus negative .
safety factor
the ratio of the breaking stress of a material or structure to the calculated maximum stress when in use
shock factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
single factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
clotting factor
any one of a group of substances, including factor VIII, the presence of which in the blood is essential for blood clotting to occur
factor analysis
any of several techniques for deriving from a number of given variables a smaller number of different, more useful , variables
feelgood factor
When journalists refer to the feelgood factor , they mean that people are feeling hopeful and optimistic about the future .
genetic factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
limiting factor
an environmental factor that limits the growth or activities of an organism or that restricts the size of a population or its geographical range
negative factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
quality factor
a property of ionizing radiations that affects their ability to cause biological effects . For weakly ionizing radiations such as gamma rays it has value 1 whilst for alpha rays it is about 20
success factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
unifying factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
unknown factor
a factor that is not known or understood
Christmas factor
a protein implicated in the process of blood clotting , the lack of which causes Christmas disease
coagulation factor
any one of a group of substances, including factor VIII, the presence of which in the blood is essential for blood clotting to occur
determining factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
extrinsic factor
vitamin B 12
intrinsic factor
a glycoprotein , secreted by the stomach , the presence of which is necessary for the absorption of cyanocobalamin ( vitamin B 12 ) in the intestine
lifestyle factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation.
overriding factor
A factor is one of the things that affects an event, decision , or situation .
protection factor
a figure representing the relative degree of protection from the sun's rays afforded by a particular sunscreen
rheumatoid factor
an antibody usually found in the blood serum of people with rheumatoid arthritis
spreading factor
a substance, as hyaluronidase, that promotes the diffusion of a material through body tissues
windchill factor
an estimated measurement of the cooling effect of air and wind, esp. when applied to the loss of body heat from exposed skin; chill factor
q
Q is the seventeenth letter of the English alphabet.
Chinese translation of 'factor'
factor
(ˈfæktəʳ)
n(c)
[of problem, decision etc]因素 (yīnsù) (个(個), gè)
(Math) 因数(數) (yīnshù)
1 (noun)
Definition
an element that contributes to a result
Physical activity is an important factor in maintaining fitness.
Synonyms
element
one of the key elements of the UN's peace plan
thing
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
point
The most interesting point about the village is its religion.
part
The engine only has three moving parts.
cause
influence
item
The other item on the agenda is the tour.
aspect
Climate affects every aspect of our lives.
circumstance
I'm making inquiries about the circumstances of the disappearance.
characteristic
consideration
Price was a major consideration in our choice of house.
component
Enriched uranium is a key component of nuclear weapons.
determinant
the types of determinant that are likely to influence trade
2 (noun)
Definition
(in Scotland) the manager of an estate
(Scottish)
Synonyms
agent
You are buying direct, rather than through an agent.
deputy
France's minister for culture and his deputy attended the meeting.
steward
reeve
middleman
estate manager
Usage note
In strict usage, factor should only be used to refer to something which contributes to a result. It should not be used to refer to a part of something, such as a plan or arrangement; more appropriate alternatives to factor in this sense are words such as component or element.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of aspect
Definition
a distinct feature or element in a problem or situation
Climate affects every aspect of our lives.
Synonyms
feature,
point,
side,
factor,
angle,
characteristic,
facet
in the sense of circumstance
Definition
an occurrence or condition that accompanies or influences a person or event
I'm making inquiries about the circumstances of the disappearance.
Synonyms
detail,
fact,
event,
particular,
respect,
factor
in the sense of component
Definition
a constituent part or feature of a whole
Enriched uranium is a key component of nuclear weapons.