factor

Meanings

• anything that contributes causally to a result
  • "a number of factors determined the outcome"
• an abstract part of something
  • "a key factor in her success"
• one of two or more integers that can be exactly divided into another integer
  • "what are the 4 factors of 6?"
• a businessman who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commission
• any of the numbers (or symbols) that form a product when multiplied together
• an independent variable in statistics
• (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"
• resolve into factors
  • "a quantum computer can factor the number 15"
• be a contributing factor
  • "make things factor into a company's profitability"
• consider as relevant when making a decision
  • "You must factor in the recent developments"

Synonyms

agent, broker, cistron, component, constituent, divisor, element, factor in, factor out, gene, ingredient