common factorn.
/ˌkɒmən ˈfaktə/, /ˈkɒmən ˌfaktə/, U.S. /ˌkɑmən ˈfæktər/, /ˈkɑmən ˌfæktər/ 1. Mathematics. A number or quantity that is a factor of each of two or more given numbers or quantities. Cf. highest common factor n.
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1673 J. Kersey Elements Algebra ii. vi. 172 And by drawing ee as a common Factor into the two latter terms of the first Analogy, this arises..aa . ee :: aaee . eeee.
1878 Proc. London Math. Soc. 9 188 When M, N are not relatively prime, the resulting decompositions will contain the common factor squared.
1951 W. W. Elliott & E. R. C. Miles College Math. (ed. 2) i. 5 The polynomials x3−y3 and x2−y2 have the common factor x−y.
2010 Times (Nexis) 29 May 128 The common factors of 12 and 18 are 1, 2, 3 and 6; the highest common factor is 6.
2. A factor, element, or characteristic shared by two or more things, esp. one not readily or easily discernible.
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1922 J. Riviere tr. S. Freud Introd. Lect. Psycho-anal. ii. x. 128 In one set of symbols the underlying comparison may be easily apparent, but there are others in which we have to look about for the common factor [Ger. das Gemeinsame], the tertium comparationis contained in the supposed comparison.
1949 H. W. C. Vines Green's Man. Pathol. (ed. 17) xxix. 788 In all these cases the common factor is the presence of human serum which therefore seems to be the vehicle of the infecting agent, and so the term ‘homologous serum jaundice’ is sometimes used.
2012 N. Silver Signal & Noise i. 28 Suppose instead that there is some common factor that ties the fate of these homeowners together.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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