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

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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

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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

He has vowed to sue Airbnb if it engages in price gouging, and he knows the Los Angeles Police Department is a major factor in the city’s rising litigation costs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

Although having this variant does not mean someone will necessarily develop the disease, it is the strongest known genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026

Another potential factor in the Treasury rally could be technical.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

In September, a poll by the Israel Democracy Institute think tank found that this was the most important factor for 53.5% of Arab citizens when deciding which party to vote for.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Not only do they drop the egg from three stories up, but they also have a point system for things like bounce factor and aerodynamic design.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller

WSJ | Buy Side: To find the best balance transfer cards, we prioritized factors that matter most: a long time to pay down your debt and low fees.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

They only looked at one AI hiring tool, and other factors such as education and immigration status could have also played a role.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

While these lifestyle factors were not directly tested in the trial, the researchers believe they offer a more promising foundation for long-term brain health than depending on fish oil supplements alone.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026

The scramble for safety was attributed to a confluence of factors suddenly plaguing the market all at once.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

Yet another type of explanation lists the immediate factors that enabled Europeans to kill or conquer other peoples—especially European guns, infectious diseases, steel tools, and manufactured products.

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

The sector contributed nearly £40bn to the Treasury last year, if income tax on employees is factored in.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Related expenses have been factored in after the fine knocked 17 cents a share off its earnings for the quarter that ended in September.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Television Academy Chairman Cris Abrego said Prime’s role as a TV hub factored into the decision.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

Mizuho analyst Lloyd Walmsley wrote in a note to clients that Muse “marks the beginning of a substantial product cycle” that the market hasn’t factored into the stock price yet.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026

“We haven’t factored in the time it’s going to get the files,” he said.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Good luck factoring any of this into an investible model, though.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

Still, it thinks investors may want to see results from drilling the Nestor natural-gas prospect and progress in development work before factoring in the full value of the project.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Even after factoring in risks related to operational and manufacturing execution, Bernstein forecasts over $40 billion in revenue for Celestica in 2027, exceeding consensus expectations of $35.5 billion.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

It is unclear how this will shake out, in large part because board members are factoring in the risk of losing top executives if they don’t get the title.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

I’m really not in the mood to divvy up everything into eleven equal parts, factoring in age, body weight, and physical output.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

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Related Words

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

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