factory — ONAD

factory /ˈfakt(ə)rē, ˈfækt(ə)ri

▸ noun

(plural factories)

1 a building or group of buildings where goods are manufactured or assembled chiefly by machine:

a clothing factory

[as modifier] factory workers.

▪ [with modifier] a person, group, or institution that continually produces a great quantity of something specified:

a huge factory of lying, slander, and bad English.

2 historical an establishment for traders carrying on business in a foreign country:

he is chaplain to the British factory at St. Petersburg.

– ORIGIN late 16th century (in factory (SENSE 2)): via Portuguese feitoria from medieval Latin factoria, from Latin factor (see factor). factory (SENSE 1) based on late Latin factorium, literally ‘oil press’.