Pronunciation

How to pronounce “factor

“factor” is pronounced /ˈfæktɚ/ (FAK-tuh) in American English and /faktə/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “fac”.
The sound

Say “factor” in 2 beats

Say it like this

factor

/ˈfæktɚ/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /faktə/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

2 beats
  1. facfækstress
  2. tor
IPA (American)
/ˈfæktɚ/
IPA (British)
/faktə/
Respelling
FAK-tuh
Syllables
2 — FAC-tor
Stress
Stress the first syllable: FAC-tor. “fac” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Part of speech
noun, verb
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/ˈfæktɚ/

British

/faktə/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “factor” means

  1. noun

    anything that contributes causally to a result

    a number of factors determined the outcome

  2. noun

    an abstract part of something

    jealousy was a component of his character

  3. noun

    one of two or more integers that can be exactly divided into another integer

    what are the 4 factors of 6?

Say it in a sentence

Cost was the deciding factor in the end.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

5 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

factor”, answered

How do you pronounce “factor”?

“factor” is pronounced /ˈfæktɚ/ (FAK-tuh) in American English and /faktə/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “fac”. Build it as FAC-tor, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “factor” have?

2: fac · tor. The beat lands on the first, “fac”.

Is “factor” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /ˈfæktɚ/ (FAK-tuh); British English says /faktə/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “factor” mean?

As a noun: anything that contributes causally to a result For example: “a number of factors determined the outcome” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “factor”?

Stress the first syllable: FAC-tor. “fac” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “factor” and see every sound

Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.