factory

American  

[fak-tuh-ree, -tree] / ˈfæk tə ri, -tri /

noun

• factories
  plural

1. a building or group of buildings with facilities for the manufacture of goods.

2. any place producing a uniform product, without concern for individuality.

   They call it a law school, but it's just a degree factory.

3. (formerly) an establishment for factors and merchants carrying on business in a foreign country.

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factory British  

/ ˈfæktərɪ /

noun

1. 1. a building or group of buildings containing a plant assembly for the manufacture of goods

   2. ( as modifier )

      a factory worker

2. rare a trading station maintained by factors in a foreign country

3. (formerly) a main trading station for the exchange and transshipment of furs

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subfactory
  noun
• factory-like
  adjective
• factorylike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• factories
  plural

Etymology

Origin of factory

From the Medieval Latin word factōria, dating back to 1550–60. See factor, -y ³

Explanation

A factory is a big building in which products are made, like Willie Wonka's fictional Chocolate Factory, which was famous for producing (among other sweets and treats) the one-of-a-kind Everlasting Gobstopper. Early relatives of the word factory were in use as far back as the 1500s, long before the Industrial Revolution made the modern idea of a factory a reality. Of course, a big building with many different types of machinery inside it isn't the only definition of a factory. A successful pop group that scores several number one songs in a row could be called "a hit factory."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

factory factories

In August, Madison Huang visited LG Electronics’ robotics data factory in Seoul after the South Korean company announced plans for a humanoid robot using Nvidia’s robotic model.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

Innovafeed breeds black soldier flies in a factory in northern France and turns the larvae into an ingredient for fish feed and other products.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

Meanwhile, Brolin’s Bangley oscillates in personality from miserable bastard to laugh factory.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

She works with the side of the factory that repairs old jackets sent in by customers.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Marina decided to introduce the factory technicians to the pilots who’d be flying their planes.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

“Physical AI gives Nvidia a path from data centers into the much larger physical economy—vehicles, factories, warehouses and robots,” said Michael Frank, chief executive of intelligence startup Radiant Intel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

Their small size makes them easier to cool and shut down if issues arise, and they can be built in factories in a fraction of the time it takes to build a full-sized reactor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

"The growth helps us, because when you grow faster, there are opportunities to utilise your factories better, to be more productive in what you do."

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

A 50% levy could drive automakers to close factories in Canada, reshaping North American auto-manufacturing supply chains.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Millions of other agricultural workers were told to move to cities to work in factories.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• branch
• cooperative
• firm
• industry
• laboratory
• mill
• shop
• workshop