factory

noun

fac·​to·​ry ˈfak-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce factory (audio)
plural factories
Synonyms of factorynext
1
: a building or set of buildings with facilities for manufacturing
a car factory
often used before another noun
factory workers
a factory building
often used figuratively
a college accused of being a diploma factory
2
archaic : a station where factors reside and trade
a colonial factory
factorylike adjective

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Manufacturing activity in March gathered momentum as factories rushed to resume production after an extended national holiday in mid-February, said Huo Lihui, chief statistician at NBS. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026 To solve this, researchers turned the body’s own skeletal muscles into a sort of factory to produce ANP, using a specialized RNA injection to give the arm or leg muscles a set of instructions. Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026 The factory is reported to be the country’s first capable of producing up to 10,000 humanoid robots annually, signaling a shift from small-scale experimentation to industrial-level manufacturing. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2026 Most fans in her factory are broken, said the 39-year-old, using a pseudonym to speak freely without fear of reprisal. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for factory

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of factory was in 1582

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Factory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/factory. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

factory

noun
fac·​to·​ry ˈfak-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce factory (audio)
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

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