factory

The story

1. Dutch · derived fromfacture“bill”
2. Portuguese · derived fromfeitoria
3. Classical Latin · derived fromfact-
4. English todayfactory

Probably from factor + -y, although in noun sense 1 (“a place where manufacturing takes place”) apparently influenced strongly by association with Classical Latin fact-, the past participial stem of faciō (“to make”); compare manufactory and Latin factōrium (“an oil press”). In noun sense 8 (“a trading establishment”), originally after Portuguese feitoria. In noun sense 9 (“an invoice or inventory”), probably after obsolete Dutch facture (“bill”); see facture. Compare Dutch factorij, Middle French factorie, Spanish factoría.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 17th c. A building or other place where manufacturing takes place.
• from 19th c. A police station.
• from 16th c. The position or state of being a factor.
• from 16th c. A trading establishment, especially set up by merchants working in a foreign country.