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

New technology will not help if American factories cannot produce it efficiently. — Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026

Catherine Gros, vice president of art, heritage and philanthropy at Renault Group, noted the factory once employed more than 30,000 people, producing a car every 90 seconds. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026

Once home to a cod factory, these buildings have been transformed into Holmen Lofoten, a unique culinary destination and hotel that has welcomed food lovers and adventurers from around the world since 2007. — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026

The aesthetic Chesky honed at the Rhode Island School of Design permeates his San Francisco headquarters, a former Eveready battery factory whose meeting rooms look like Airbnb rentals from around the world. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 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