All 5 Uses

factor
in
An Abundance of Katherines
(Auto-generated)

The dollar rose by a factor of more than ten between 1920 and now, so that's more than thirty-five thousand dollars in today's dollars.†
p. 50.3 *

factor = thing that affects a result or outcome
It was a town for trouble back then before the factors' brought in families.†
p. 82.9

factors = things that affect a result or outcome
I suck at math—like really, really suck, so tell me if I have this wrong, but it seems like the only factor that goes into the formula is where each person fits on the Dumper/Dumpee scale, right?†
p. 121.9
Yeah, but that's not the only factor in a relationship.†
p. 122.1
That shouldn't factor in to an ethical decision, of course.†
p. 175.9

Definitions:

(1) (factor as in: It was the deciding factor.)
something that affects a result or outcome

You also may encounter x-factor or x factor--meaning "the most important thing that influences a result or outcome."
(2) (factor as in: factor it into your thinking)
include consideration of
(3) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
There are many specialized meanings in fields such as mathematics, business, finance, biology, and grammar.