man·u·fac·ture / ˌmanyəˈfakchər/ • n. the making of articles on a large scale using machinery: the manufacture of armored vehicles. ∎  a specified branch of industry: the porcelain manufacture for which France became justly renowned. ∎  the production of a natural substance by a living thing: the genetic blueprint for the manufacture of a protein. ∎  (manufactures) manufactured goods or articles: exports and imports of manufactures.• v. [tr.] 1. make (something) on a large scale using machinery: a company that manufactured paint-by-number sets | [as adj.] (manufacturing) a manufacturing company. ∎  (of a living thing) produce (a substance) naturally. ∎  make or produce (something abstract) in a merely mechanical way: [as adj.] (manufactured) manufactured love songs. 2. invent or fabricate (evidence or a story): the tabloid industry that manufactures epochal discoveries out of thin air.DERIVATIVES: man·u·fac·tur·a·bil·i·ty / -ˌfakchərəˈbilətē/ n.man·u·fac·tur·a·ble adj.man·u·fac·tur·er n.

manufacture †product of manual labour XVI; †manual work; making things by physical labour or mechanical power, thing so made XVII. — F. — It. manifattura (XIV), with refash, after L. manū factum made by hand (see MANUAL, FACT, -URE).
So manufactory XVII; after FACTORY.