factor
 fac·tor (făkʹtər)n.
1. One that actively contributes to an accomplishment, result, or process: “Surprise is the greatest factor in war” (Tom Clancy). See Synonyms at element.
2.
a. One who acts for someone else; an agent.
b. A person or firm that accepts accounts receivable as security for short-term loans.
3. Mathematics. One of two or more quantities that divides a given quantity without a remainder. For example, 2 and 3 are factors of 6; a and b are factors of ab.
4. A quantity by which a stated quantity is multiplied or divided, so as to indicate an increase or decrease in a measurement:
The rate increased by a factor of ten.
5. A gene. No longer in technical usage.
6. Physiology. A substance that functions in a specific biochemical reaction or bodily process, such as blood coagulation.tr.v. fac·tored, fac·tor·ing, fac·tors
To determine or indicate explicitly the factors of.Phrasal Verb:factor in
To figure in:
We factored sick days and vacations in when we prepared the work schedule. [Middle English factour, perpetrator, agent, from Old French facteur, from Latin factor, maker, from facere, to make. See dhē- in Indo-European Roots.] facʹtor·a·ble adj.facʹtor·ship' n.
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