factor definition | Dictionary.com

fac⋅tor

[fak-ter]

–noun

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, esp. 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.

–verb (used with object)

10.	Mathematics. to express (a mathematical quantity) as a product of two or more quantities of like kind, as 30 = 2⋅3⋅5, or x² − y² = (x + y) (x − y). Compare expand (def. 4a).

11.	to act as a factor for.

–verb (used without object)

12.	to act as a factor.

—Verb phrase

13.	factor in or into, to include as an essential element, esp. in forecasting or planning: You must factor insurance payments into the cost of maintaining a car.

Origin:
1400–50; late ME facto(u)r < L factor maker, perpetrator, equiv. to fac(ere) to make, do + -tor -tor

Related forms:

fac⋅tor⋅a⋅ble, adjective

fac⋅tor⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, noun

fac⋅tor⋅ship, noun

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factor VIII

–noun

antihemophilic factor.

Origin:
1960–65

factor IX

–noun

Christmas factor.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To factor

fac·tor (fāk'tər)

One that actively contributes to an accomplishment, result, or process: "Surprise is the greatest factor in war" (Tom Clancy). See Synonyms at element.
1. One who acts for someone else; an agent.
2. A person or firm that accepts accounts receivable as security for short-term loans.
Mathematics One of two or more quantities that divides a given quantity without a remainder. For example, 2 and 3 are factors of 6; a and b are factors of ab.
A quantity by which a stated quantity is multiplied or divided, so as to indicate an increase or decrease in a measurement: The rate increased by a factor of ten.
A gene. No longer in technical usage.
Physiology A substance that functions in a specific biochemical reaction or bodily process, such as blood coagulation.

tr.v. fac·tored, fac·tor·ing, fac·tors
To determine or indicate explicitly the factors of.
Phrasal Verb(s):
factor inTo figure in: We factored sick days and vacations in when we prepared the work schedule.

[Middle English factour, perpetrator, agent, from Old French facteur, from Latin factor, maker, from facere, to make; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.]
fac'tor·a·ble adj., fac'tor·ship' n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Factor

Fac"tor\, n. [L. factor a doer: cf. F. facteur a factor. See Fact.]

1. (Law) One who transacts business for another; an agent; a substitute; especially, a mercantile agent who buys and sells goods and transacts business for others in commission; a commission merchant or consignee. He may be a home factor or a foreign factor. He may buy and sell in his own name, and he is intrusted with the possession and control of the goods; and in these respects he differs from a broker. --Story. --Wharton.

My factor sends me word, a merchant's fled That owes me for a hundred tun of wine. --Marlowe.

2. A steward or bailiff of an estate. [Scot.] --Sir W. Scott.

3. (Math.) One of the elements or quantities which, when multiplied together, from a product.

4. One of the elements, circumstances, or influences which contribute to produce a result; a constituent.

The materal and dynamical factors of nutrition. --H. Spencer.

Factor

Fac"tor\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Factored (-t?rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Factoring.] (Mach.) To resolve (a quantity) into its factors.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : factor

Spanish: factor,

German: der Faktor,

Japanese: 要因

More Translations »

factor

n. See coefficient of X.

Jargon File 4.2.0
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factor (n.)

1432, "agent, deputy," from M.Fr. facteur "agent, representative," from L. factor "doer or maker," from facere "to do" (see factitious). Sense of "circumstance producing a result" is from 1816; the v. use in mathematics is attested from 1837.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Factor

1. A financial intermediary that purchases receivables from companies.

2. In terms of mortgages, the ratio of principal outstanding to the original balance.

Investopedia Commentary

1. The sale of accounts receivables is called factoring.

factor

A firm that purchases accounts receivable from another firm at a discount. The purchasing firm then attempts to collect the receivables.

factor

To sell accounts receivable to another party at a discount from face value. Thus, a firm in need of cash to pay down short-term debt may decide to factor its accounts receivable to another firm.

Main Entry: fac·tor
Function: noun
Etymology: Medieval Latin, doer, maker, agent, from Latin, maker, from facere to do, make
1 : one who acts or transacts business for another: as a : a commercial agent who buys or sells goods for others on commission b : one that lends money to producers and dealers (as on the security of accounts receivable)
2 : a person or thing that actively contributes to the production of a result factor other than sex>

Main Entry: fac·tor
Pronunciation: 'fak-t&r
Function: noun
1 a : something that actively contributes to the production of a result b : a substance that functions in or promotes the function of a particular physiological process or bodily system
2 : GENE —fac·to·ri·al /fak-'tOr-E-&l, -'tor-/ adjective

factor fac·tor (fāk'tər)
n.

One that contributes in the cause of an action.
A mathematical component that by multiplication makes up a number or expression.
A gene.
A substance, such as a vitamin, that functions in a specific biochemical reaction or bodily process, such as blood coagulation.

factor (fāk'tər) Pronunciation Key
Noun

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 a² - b².
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.

Verb 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.

factor
A quantity which is multiplied by another quantity.
See also divisor.
[The Jargon File]

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