n. (pl. -ies) 1 a building or buildings containing plant or equipment for manufacturing machinery or goods. 2 hist. a merchant company's foreign trading station. factory farm a farm employing factory farming. factory farming a system of rearing livestock using industrial or intensive methods. factory floor workers in industry as distinct from management. factory ship Brit. a fishing ship with facilities for immediate processing of the catch.
[ Port. feitoria and LL factorium ]