English
factory
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”).
Formed from factor + -y
Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-
…
Latin faciō ‘to do, make’
Latin factor ‘doer, maker’
Anglo-Norman factour
Middle English factour
English factor
The story
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 9 (‘an invoice or inventory’), probably after obsolete Dutch facture (‘bill’); see facture.
Today it means
noun A building or other place where manufacturing takes place.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / factory