factory

noun

fac·​to·​ry ˈfak-t(ə-)rē 

plural factories

1

: a station where factors reside and trade

a colonial factory

2

a

: a building or set of buildings with facilities for manufacturing

b

: the seat of some kind of production

the vice factories of the slums

factorylike

ˈfak-t(ə-)rē-ˌlīk 

adjective

Synonyms

• manufactory
• mill
• plant
• shop
• works
• workshop

Examples of factory in a Sentence

She got a job in the factory.

the new factory will create hundreds of much-needed jobs

Recent Examples on the Web

Lenora Chu Machinist Lothar Herrmann poses at the VW factory complex in Braunschweig in late November. —Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan. 2025

First, both Hawthorne's main character Hester Prynne and factory worker Sarah Cornell were known for their needlework and charity. —Melissa Gray, NPR, 26 Jan. 2025

Hamilton also made time to visit the fans, Ferrari’s loyal tifosi, who had congregated outside the factory gates at Maranello since the early morning hours, desperate to glimpse their new hero on his first day. —Luke Smith, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025

The city-state also reported that its factory output expanded 10.6% year on year, surpassing the 6.4% predicted by economists polled by Reuters. —Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

fact(or) entry 1 + -ory entry 1; in sense 1 after Portuguese feitoria; in sense 2 perhaps short for manufactory

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing factory

• factory farm
• factory ship
• on the factory floor
• the factory floor
• think factory

Kids Definition

factory

noun

fac·​to·​ry ˈfak-t(ə-)rē 

plural factories

: a building or set of buildings equipped for manufacturing

Etymology

from early French factorie "a place where business is carried on," derived from Latin factor "one that does or makes," from factus, past participle of facere "to make, do" — related to fashion, manufacture