factor
pronunciation
How to pronounce factor in British English:
UK [ˈfæktə(r)]
How to pronounce factor in American English:
US [ˈfæktər]
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- Noun:
- anything that contributes causally to a result
- an abstract part of something
- any of the numbers (or symbols) that form a product when multiplied together
- one of two or more integers that can be exactly divided into another integer
- a businessman who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commission
- an independent variable in statistics
- (genetics) a segment of DNA that is involved in producing a polypeptide chain; it can include regions preceding and following the coding DNA as well as introns between the exons; it is considered a unit of heredity
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- Verb:
- resolve into factors
Word Origin
- factor (n.)
- early 15c., "commercial agent, deputy, one who buys or sells for another," from Middle French facteur "agent, representative" (Old French factor, faitor "doer, author, creator"), from Latin factor "doer, maker, performer," in Medieval Latin, "agent," agent noun from past participle stem of facere "to do" (see factitious). In commerce, especially "a commission merchant." Mathematical sense is from 1670s. Sense of "circumstance producing a result" is attested by 1816, from the mathematical sense.
- factor (v.)
- 1610s, "act as an agent, manage," from factor (n.). The use in mathematics is attested from 1837. Related: Factored; factoring.
Example
- 1. Inflation is also a factor .
- 2. Speed is also a factor .
- 3. The boredom factor is important .
- 4. Cost is also a factor .
- 5. A second factor is inflation .