FACTOR

gene, cistron, factor

(noun) (genetics) a segment of DNA that is involved in producing a polypeptide chain; it can include regions preceding and following the coding DNA as well as introns between the exons; it is considered a unit of heredity; “genes were formerly called factors”

factor

(noun) an independent variable in statistics

component, constituent, element, factor, ingredient

(noun) an abstract part of something; “jealousy was a component of his character”; “two constituents of a musical composition are melody and harmony”; “the grammatical elements of a sentence”; “a key factor in her success”; “humor: an effective ingredient of a speech”

factor

(noun) anything that contributes causally to a result; “a number of factors determined the outcome”

agent, factor, broker

(noun) a businessman who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commission

factor

(noun) any of the numbers (or symbols) that form a product when multiplied together

divisor, factor

(noun) one of two or more integers that can be exactly divided into another integer; “what are the 4 factors of 6?”

factor, factor in, factor out

(verb) resolve into factors; “a quantum computer can factor the number 15”

factor, factor in, factor out

(verb) consider as relevant when making a decision; “You must factor in the recent developments”

factor

(verb) be a contributing factor; “make things factor into a company’s profitability”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

factor (plural factors)

(obsolete) A doer, maker; a person who does things for another person or organization.

(now rare) An agent or representative.

(legal)

A commission agent.

A person or business organization that provides money for another's new business venture; one who finances another's business.

A business organization that lends money on accounts receivable or buys and collects accounts receivable.

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

(mathematics) Any of various objects multiplied together to form some whole.

(root cause analysis) Influence; a phenomenon that affects the nature, the magnitude, and/or the timing of a consequence.

(economics) A resource used in the production of goods or services, a factor of production.

(Scotland) A steward or bailiff of an estate.

Hyponyms

(Hyponyms of factor (noun)):

• distribution factor

• factor of production

• form factor

• incremental power transfer distribution factor

• power transfer distribution factor

• pull factor

• push factor

• transcription factor

Verb

factor (third-person singular simple present factors, present participle factoring, simple past and past participle factored)

(transitive) To find all the factors of (a number or other mathematical object) (the objects that divide it evenly).

(of a number or other mathematical object, intransitive) To be a product of other objects.

(commercial, transitive) To sell a debt or debts to an agent (the factor) to collect.

Proper noun

Factor (plural Factors)

A surname.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Factor is the 16031st most common surname in the United States, belonging to 1809 individuals. Factor is most common among White (58.26%), null (18.24%), and Hispanic/Latino (13.21%) individuals.

Source: Wiktionary


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

1. (Law)

Definition: 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.)

Definition: 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.

Fac"tor, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Factored (-trd); p. pr. & vb. n. Factoring.] (Mach.)

Definition: To resolve (a quantity) into its factors.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

22 November 2024

SHEET

(noun) (nautical) a line (rope or chain) that regulates the angle at which a sail is set in relation to the wind


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, the seeds of berries from certain Coffea species. When coffee berries turn from green to bright red – indicating ripeness – they are picked, processed, and dried. Dried coffee seeds are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor.

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