factor analysis

American  

noun

Statistics.

1. the use of one of several methods for reducing a set of variables to a lesser number of new variables, each of which is a function of one or more of the original variables.

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factor analysis British  

noun

1. statistics any of several techniques for deriving from a number of given variables a smaller number of different, more useful, variables

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Etymology

Origin of factor analysis

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Then there are a number of exchange-traded funds that employ factor analysis to narrow down to smaller groups of midcap stocks.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 28, 2026

One of the standard methods for assessing personality is to analyze people's answers to a 100-item questionnaire with a statistical technique called factor analysis.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 12, 2015

After completing a factor analysis of the different adjectives, Mehrabian created four basic dimensions that form our impressions of names.

From Inc • Sep. 9, 2011

What his factor analysis might be saying is that over time, individuals were rated relatively consistently by interviewers on what the study called attractiveness.

From Scientific American • May 23, 2011

An orthogonal factor matrix composed of the first ten factors was rotated to form an oblique matrix having a factor structure as nearly as possible like that found for the original in-basket factor analysis.

From Time Magazine Archive