# cofactor

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #73,079

## Definitions
1. A contributing factor.
2. A substance, especially a coenzyme or a metal, that must be present for an enzyme to function.
3. A molecule that binds to and regulates the activity of a protein.
4. The result of a number being divided by one of its factors.
5. The signed determinant of the submatrix produced by removing the row and column containing a specified element; primarily used in the recursive definition and calculation of the determinant of a matrix.

## Etymology
From co- + factor.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cofactor