factory

[ fak-tuh-ree, -tree ]

noun

, plural fac·to·ries.

1. a building or group of buildings with facilities for the manufacture of goods.
2. any place producing a uniform product, without concern for individuality:

   They call it a law school, but it's just a degree factory.

3. (formerly) an establishment for factors and merchants carrying on business in a foreign country.

factory

/ ˈfæktərɪ /

noun

1. 1. a building or group of buildings containing a plant assembly for the manufacture of goods
   2. ( as modifier )

      a factory worker

2. rare.
   a trading station maintained by factors in a foreign country
3. (formerly) a main trading station for the exchange and transshipment of furs

Derived Forms

• ˈfactory-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• facto·ry·like adjective
• sub·facto·ry noun plural subfactories

Word History and Origins

Origin of factory¹

From the Medieval Latin word factōria, dating back to 1550–60. See factor, -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of factory¹

C16: from Late Latin factorium ; see factor

Example Sentences

With her husband earning only $38,000 a year at a nearby factory, and rent in nearby apartments costings hundreds of dollars more than they now pay, the stress can be overwhelming.

From Los Angeles Times

Perhaps the most bizarre moment at Wednesday's event at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving came when Liverpool's Bellew inaudibly shouted into a microphone – which he had brought along - from the press area.

From BBC

"We are still stuck with the problems we faced before. We still don't have financial help even to fulfil our daily needs," 26-year-old garment factory worker Manjula Devi, who works in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone near Colombo, told the BBC.

From BBC

He also claimed some baby milk products were branded and priced differently despite being made in the same factory with the same ingredients.

From BBC

From a young age, I knew that people were crossing the border from Mexico through my little factory town I grew up in, Plaster City, Calif. I’d see them go into the night, not knowing how they would get through the harsh desert.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• branch
• cooperative
• firm
• industry
• laboratory
• mill
• shop
• workshop