factor

American  

[fak-ter] / ˈfæk tər /

noun

• factors
  plural

1. one of the elements contributing to a particular result or situation.

   Poverty is only one of the factors in crime.

2. Mathematics. 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, especially 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. factor of production.

9. Scot. the steward or bailiff of an estate.

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verb (used with object)

• factors,
  present (3rd person singular)
• factored,
  past participle,  past
• factoring
  present participle

1. Mathematics. to express (a mathematical quantity) as a product of two or more quantities of like kind, as 30 = 235, or x 2 − y 2 = (x +y ) (x − y ).

2. to act as a factor for.

verb (used without object)

• factors,
  present (3rd person singular)
• factored,
  past participle,  past
• factoring
  present participle

1. to act as a factor.

verb phrase

1. factor in / into to include as an essential element, especially in forecasting or planning.

   You must factor insurance payments into the cost of maintaining a car.

factor British  

/ ˈfæktə /

noun

1. an element or cause that contributes to a result

2. maths

   1. one of two or more integers or polynomials whose product is a given integer or polynomial

      2 and 3 are factors of 6

   2. 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) med 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. commerce 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

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verb

1. (intr) to engage in the business of a factor

factor Scientific  

/ făk′tər /

1. One of two or more numbers or expressions that are multiplied to obtain a given product. For example, 2 and 3 are factors of 6, and a + b and a − b are factors of a ² − b ².

2. A substance found in the body, such as a protein, that is essential to a biological process. For example, growth factors are needed for proper cell growth and development.

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1. To find the factors of a number or expression. For example, the number 12 can be factored into 2 and 6, or 3 and 4, or 1 and 12.

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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• factorability
  noun
• factorship
  noun
• subfactor
  noun
• underfactor
  noun
• factorable
  adjective
• unfactorable
  adjective
• unfactored
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• factors
  plural

Participles

• factoring
  present
• factored
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• factor
  simple
• factors
  simple
• have factored
  perfect
• has factored
  perfect
• am factoring
  progressive
• are factoring
  progressive
• is factoring
  progressive
• have been factoring
  perfect progressive
• has been factoring
  perfect progressive

Past

• factored
  simple
• had factored
  perfect
• was factoring
  progressive
• were factoring
  progressive
• had been factoring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will factor
  simple
• will have factored
  perfect
• will be factoring
  progressive
• will have been factoring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of factor

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English facto(u)r, from Latin factor “maker, perpetrator,” equivalent to fac(ere) “to make, do” + -tor agent noun suffix; see -tor

Explanation

A factor is a part or element that contributes to a result. If you only fly budget airlines and refuse to stay anywhere but youth hostels, then money is probably a big factor in your travel plans. The word factor doubles as both noun and verb. A factor is an element that influences something, like many factors that contribute to global warming. To factor means to consider something relevant when making a decision or conclusion, like factoring in the weather and traffic when figuring out how long the drive will be. And if it's not relevant? Then you factor it out.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

factor factors factored factoring

Her accessories included gold-toned shoes, dangly beaded earrings and a long white marabou boa to dial up the glam factor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

These will give an up-to-date snapshot of how companies are faring given the recent spike in oil prices, which was a key factor prompting the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates at its recent meeting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The World Weather Attribution study said climate change was a "destabilising factor acting on a pre-existing geological predisposition", but it was not the only cause of the disaster.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

The suit added a glamour factor for bigwig sponsors who would sometimes ride along.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

That shouldn't factor in to an ethical decision, of course.

From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green

The software can analyze airline schedules and factors such as weather, airport runway capacity and operational constraints to predict air-traffic flows and foresee potential conflicts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Beth Pinsker dug into three factors that couples must consider when planning for retirement if they have an age gap.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Some factors that could affect both which treatment a patient received and how their health changed over time could not be fully evaluated.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

This isn’t foolproof, of course, because many factors including loyalty status go into deciding who gets bumped out of a seat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The title of this book will serve as shorthand for those proximate factors, which also enabled modern Europeans to conquer peoples of other continents.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

“Any weakness in growth will be factored into the forecast for inflation,” the minutes said, in reference to a new quarterly Bank of Canada outlook coming next month.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Burton said the company has a fleet of about 200 trucks, 56 of which are now zero-emission, including hydrogen fuel cells and battery electrics whose charging time is factored into the logistics of the drive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

If inflation is factored in, sales were not quite as rosy as they look.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

Moving forward climate change must be factored into how people think about access and support, Emily Davison said.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

What happens when the whistle-blowers’ corroborating evidence is factored into the analysis of the match data?

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Non-EU member states and international financial institutions were supposed to contribute another $52 billion in loans for 2026-27, which Ukraine is currently factoring in.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

One key reason for the rise in insurance costs is that carriers are factoring in recent disasters.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026

Blockbuster US jobs figures last week have pushed up bets on a Fed increase -- the CME Group's FedWatch tool factoring a more than 60 percent chance of such a move.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

Fortescue and Mineral Resources are most impacted when factoring in current iron-ore prices and freight rates, it says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

It took ten minutes for him to re-create the solution he’d figured out with Mr. Keeney, this time factoring in the actual spacing between the two rock pillars which had been missing until now.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• aspect
• cause
• circumstance
• component
• consideration
• element
• influence
• ingredient
• part
• point
• thing