Fertility Factor

Posted by Ruthi on March 20, 2004

In Reply to: Fertility Factor posted by Bruce Kahl on March 20, 2004

: : I have this passage I need to translate and I have a problem with the term "F Factor". There's a group of women talking about things they like in men and one of them says something like: "George has no F factor whatsoever". Does anybody know what she means by that?
: : Thanks.

: sex factor
:
: NOUN: A bacterial plasmid that enables one bacterium to donate its genetic material to another bacterium by conjugation, resulting in genetic recombination. Also called fertility factor, f factor.

: A plasmid whose presence in the cell, either extrachromosomal or integrated into the bacterial chromosome, determines the "sex" of the bacterium, host chromosome mobilization, transfer via conjugation of genetic material, and the formation of sex pili.

: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

I read this definition too, but the thing is that in the passage I'm translating, these women use the term as a slang, when they talk about what they find attractive in a man. So the initial meaning is not the accurate one, but I don't seem to fully understand what they mean. What do you think?
Thanks again...

:

• Fertility Factor Bruce Kahl 20/March/04
  • Fertility Factor Ruthi 21/March/04
    • Fertility Factor Brian from Shawnee 21/March/04