factory

noun

fac·​to·​ry ˈfak-t(ə-)rē 

plural factories

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

ˈfak-t(ə-)rē-ˌlīk 

adjective

Synonyms of factory

• mill
• plant
• shop
• workshop
• works

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

The company is testing Hexagon’s AEON humanoid robot for battery assembly and component manufacturing after successful laboratory trials and initial factory deployments. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 June 2026

The fire broke out at an old furniture factory in the 300 block of North Front Street, forced nearby residents to evacuate and hundreds in the area without power. — Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 26 June 2026

Its factory in Brandenburg signaled a shift from lab-scale devices to the production of full-size commercial products, both cells and modules. — Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Volkswagen plants in Hannover, Zwickau, and Emden, as well as Audi’s factory in Neckarsulm, are all in the crosshairs. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026

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

Phrases Containing factory

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

Rhymes for factory

• manufactory
• olfactory
• refractory
• unsatisfactory

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