FACTOR


Meaning of FACTOR in English

n. & v.

--n.

1. a circumstance, fact, or influence contributing to a result.

2 Math. a whole number etc. that when multiplied with another produces a given number or expression.

3 Biol. a gene etc. determining hereditary character.

4 (foll. by identifying number) Med. any of several substances in the blood contributing to coagulation (factor eight).

5 a a business agent; a merchant buying and selling on commission. b Sc. a land-agent or steward. c an agent or a deputy.

6 a company that buys a manufacturer's invoices and takes responsibility for collecting the payments due on them.

--v.tr.

1. Math. resolve into factors or components.

2 tr. sell (one's receivable debts) to a factor.

Phrases and idioms:

factor analysis Statistics a process by which the relative importance of variables in the study of a sample is assessed by mathematical techniques.

Derivatives:

factorable adj.

Etymology: F facteur or L factor f. facere fact- do, make

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.