early 15c., "commercial agent, deputy, one who buys or sells for another," from Middle French facteur "agent, representative" (Old French factor, faitor "doer, author, creator"), from Latin factor "doer, maker, performer," in Medieval Latin, "agent," agent noun from past participle stem of facere "to do" (see factitious). In commerce, especially "a commission merchant." Mathematical sense is from 1670s. Sense of "circumstance producing a result" is attested by 1816, from the mathematical sense.
factor (v.)
1610s, "act as an agent, manage," from factor (n.). The use in mathematics is attested from 1837. Related: Factored; factoring.
雙語例句
1. Stress, both human and mechanical, may also be a contributing factor.
來自人的和機(jī)械方面的壓力可能也是一個因素。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Environmentalists say a critical factor in the city's pollution is its population.