Definition
noun, plural: factors
(1) (biology) A substance that takes part in a biochemical reaction (e.g. blood-clotting factors) or a biological process (e.g. growth factors)
(2) (ecology) A component in the environment (e.g. biotic factors)
(3) (general) An element of something; a variable; one that causes or contributes to produce an outcome
(4) (genetics) Former name of gene or cistron
Supplement
Word origin: Latin factor (a doer, maker, performer)
Related term(s):
- abiotic factor
- Biotic factor
- Rh factor
- Tumor necrosis factor
- Growth factor
- Blood clotting factor
- Transcription factor
- Fitzgerald factor
- Mammotropic factor
