form factor

Noun

form factor (plural form factors)

1. The ratio of the RMS value to the absolute mean of a sinusoidal wave (especially to that of an alternating current).
2. Any of several functions that describe the unknown internal state of a particle.
3. The emissivity of a material.
4. A function that describes the scattering power of an atom as function of the scattering angle.
5. A factor describing the stress distribution of a body.
6. The geometry of an object, especially in engineering design; configuration.
   • Shugart Associates first introduced the 5.25-inch form factor along with the first 5.25-inch floppy drive back in 1976.2004, Scott Mueller, Upgrading and Repairing Laptops, page 311
   • I want him to barely remember that this is the form factor that dictionaries used to come in.2007, March, Erin McKean, “Redefining the dictionary”, Technology Entertainment Design