cofactor

C3O1F4A1C3T1O1R1

noun

A contributing factor.

Similar
minor
OriginEnglish factor ← Middle English factour ← Anglo-Norman factour →
Less commonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nouncofactor (plural cofactors)

plural cofactors

  1. A contributing factor.

    Although many believe HTLV-III plays a primary role in the development of AIDS, it is still unresolved how the virus works and what cofactors, if any, play a role.

    1985 April 27, Christine Guilfoy, “HTLV-3 Test Availability Elicits Mixed Response”, in Gay Community News, page 3
  2. biochemistryA substance, especially a coenzyme or a metal, that must be present for an enzyme to function.
  3. biochemistryA molecule that binds to and regulates the activity of a protein.
  4. mathematicsThe result of a number being divided by one of its factors.
  5. linear algebraThe signed determinant of the submatrix produced by removing the row and column containing a specified element; primarily used in the recursive definition and calculation of the determinant of a matrix.

    Synonyms: minor

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe signed determinant of the submatrix produced by removing the row and column containing a specified element; primarily used in the recursive definition and calculation of the determinant of a matrix.

Similar
minor

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincon-
  6. Latinco-
  7. Englishco-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁k-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*dʰh₁kyéti
  11. Proto-Italic*θakjō
  12. Proto-Italic*fakjō
  13. Latinfaciō
  14. Latinfactor
  15. Middle Frenchfacteur
  16. Latinfactor
  17. Anglo-Normanfactour
  18. Middle Englishfactour
  19. Englishfactor
  20. Englishcofactor

From co- + factor.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 輔因子 /辅因子
  • 輔因子 /辅因子 (fǔyīnzǐ)substance that must be present for an enzyme to function
Finnish kofaktori
  • kofaktorisubstance that must be present for an enzyme to function
Hungarian kofaktor
  • kofaktorsubstance that must be present for an enzyme to function
Japanese 補因子
  • 補因子 (hoinshi)substance that must be present for an enzyme to function
Polish kofaktor
  • kofaktorsubstance that must be present for an enzyme to function
Spanish cofactor
  • cofactorsubstance that must be present for an enzyme to function
Tagalog kakabuo
  • kakabuosubstance that must be present for an enzyme to function
Turkish kofaktör
  • kofaktörsubstance that must be present for an enzyme to function
Cite this entry
APA

cofactor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cofactor

MLA

“cofactor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cofactor. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cofactor,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cofactor.

Source: cofactor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.