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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Factor Meaning: Definition, Examples & Usage (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：influential element (factor)

factor 🔊

/ˈfæktər/

Something that influences an event or situation, helping to cause a particular result.

Factor meaning mind map showing elements influencing success

influential element 🔊

➕

/ɪnfluˈenʃəl ˈelɪmənt/

A factor is an element or circumstance that contributes to a particular result or situation.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'factor' (maker, doer), from 'facere' (to do, make).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'fact' + 'or' — a factor is a fact that influences an outcome.

📖 Example

When choosing a university, cost, location, and course quality are all important factors to consider. 🔊 When choosing a university, cost, location, and course quality are all important factors to consider.

🔗 Collocations

key factor – a crucial element that significantly affects an outcome

deciding factor – the most important factor that determines a decision

risk factor – a condition or behavior that increases the likelihood of a negative outcome

🔄 Synonyms

element (n.) – a component or part of a whole

determinant (n.) – a factor that decisively affects the nature or outcome of something

component (n.) – one of the parts that make up a whole

🚫 Antonyms

result (n.) – the consequence or effect of factors

effect (n.) – the outcome produced by a cause

🌱 Derivatives

factorial (adj./n.) – relating to a factor or the product of an integer and all lower integers

factorize (v.) – to express a number as a product of its factors

factoring (n.) – the process of breaking a number into factors

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'factor' meaning 'maker' or 'doer'. In mathematics, it entered English in the 15th century; later extended to mean 'an element contributing to a result'.

Meaning 2：divisor or multiplier (factor)

factor 🔊

/ˈfæktər/

A number that divides exactly into another number, leaving no remainder.

Factor math example with blocks arranged in 3 by 4 rectangle

divisor or multiplier 🔊

➕

/dɪˈvaɪzər ɔːr ˈmʌltɪplaɪər/

In mathematics, a factor is a number that divides another number exactly, usually resulting in a whole number.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

In the equation 3 x 4 = 12, the numbers 3 and 4 are factors of 12. 🔊 In the equation 3 x 4 = 12, the numbers 3 and 4 are factors of 12.

🔗 Collocations

prime factor – a factor that is a prime number

common factor – a number that divides two or more numbers without remainder

greatest common factor – the largest common factor of two or more numbers

🔄 Synonyms

divisor (n.) – a number that divides another number exactly

component (n.) – one of the parts that make up a product

multiplier (n.) – a number by which another number is multiplied

🚫 Antonyms

product (n.) – the result obtained by multiplying factors

multiple (n.) – a number that is a product of a given integer and another integer

🌱 Derivatives

factorize (v.) – to break a number down into its factors

factorial (adj./n.) – the product of an integer and all the integers below it

factoring (n.) – the process of finding factors