element

EL-uh-muhnt/ˈɛləmənt/UKEL-i-muhnt/ˈɛlɪmənt/

23 meanings of element

1
nouncountable
One part of something, especially an important or basic part.
Each element of the dance took weeks to learn.
The painting's tiny elements only show up when you look very closely.
UsageSay an element of something.
Similarpart, component, feature, aspect, detail
2
factornouncountable
One of the things that helps cause a result or makes a situation what it is.
Luck was a big element in their win last night.
Cost is one element to think about when you choose a school.
UsageSay a big element in something.
Similarfactor, ingredient
3
nouncountable
One of the basic substances, like gold or oxygen, that cannot be split into simpler substances.
Like a basic building block: you can join blocks to make new things, but you cannot split one block apart.
Gold is an element, so no chemical process can break it down into anything simpler.
Iron is an element found deep inside the Earth and in many rocks.
Note
4
weathernounpluralwith the
Bad weather, like strong wind, rain, or snow, especially when you are outside in it.
The hikers wore heavy coats to protect themselves from the elements.
Our tent kept us dry and safe from the elements all night.
UsageSay exposed to the elements or safe from the elements.
Similarweather
5
group of peoplenouncountable
A group of people inside a larger group who share something in common.
A small element of the crowd started pushing toward the gates.
The team has a young element that brings new energy to practice.
UsageOften used with a word describing the people, as in the criminal element.
Similarfaction, wing, section, group, contingent
6
small hintnouncountable
A small amount of a feeling or quality that you can notice.
There was an element of fear in his voice.
Her joke had an element of truth in it.
UsageSay an element of fear or truth.
Similarhint, trace, touch, degree, measure
Note
7
ancient philosophynouncountable
One of the four basic things (water, earth, fire, and air) that people long ago believed made up everything.
Ancient doctors believed fire was the hottest element of the four.
In old stories, a wizard might command each element, from fire to water.
Note
8
set membernouncountable
One of the objects that belong to a set in math.
Like one student in a class: the class is the group, and each student belongs to it.
The number 3 is an element of the set of odd numbers.
Our teacher asked which numbers were elements of both sets.
UsageSay an element of a set.
Similarmember
Note

Less common meanings

9
natural placenoun
The place or situation where someone feels most comfortable and does best.
Like a fish in water: that is where it lives best and feels at home.
On stage in front of a crowd, she is in her element.
Out of the water, the fish was out of its element.
UsageSay in my element or out of my element.
Note
10
subject basicsnounplural
The most basic ideas or skills of a subject, which you learn first.
We spent the first month on the elements of grammar.
Her piano teacher started with the elements of reading music.
UsageSay the elements of something.
Similarbasics, fundamentals, rudiments, essentials, principles
Note
11
heating coilnouncountable
The part inside a machine that gets hot when electricity runs through it.
The element in our kettle stopped working, so the water stays cold.
Don't touch the element on the stove, because it stays hot long after you turn it off.
12
raw materialnouncountable
A simple, basic material that something is made from.
Stone was the main element the builders had to work with.
With a few simple elements like flour, water, and salt, bakers can make bread.
Similarmaterial, ingredient, substance, constituent
Note
13
web codenouncountable
A building block of a web page or similar document, written in code with tags.
Like labeled boxes packed inside bigger boxes: each label tells you what is inside.
The paragraph element holds the text you see on the page.
She added an image element to her web page.
UsageAn element is a part of the document. Tags are code marks used to write elements.
Note
14
legal requirementnouncountable
One of the parts of a legal case that a lawyer must prove to win.
Like a checklist: you must check every box before the job counts as done.
The lawyer proved every element of the fraud case.
She had to show each element of her claim before the judge would rule for her.
UsageSay the elements of a charge.
Note
15
matrix entrynouncountable
One of the numbers in a grid of rows and columns used in math.
Like one seat in a theater, found by its row and seat number.
The teacher asked us to find the largest element in the number grid.
Each element of the grid was either a one or a zero.
Similarentry
Note
16
calculusnouncountable
A very tiny piece of an amount, like a bit of distance or area, used in math.
Like one tiny drop of water from a whole bucket.
In the formula, dx stands for a tiny element of distance.
Add up every tiny element of area to find the total area.
Note
17
zipper toothnouncountable
One of the small teeth on a zipper.
Like the teeth of two combs locking together.
A bent element made the zipper stick halfway up.
One element broke off the zipper, and the jacket would not close.
Similartooth
18
Holy Communionnouncountable
The bread and wine used in the Christian service called Holy Communion.
The priest blessed each element before the people came forward.
Members of the church shared the elements of bread and wine.
Note
19
orbit measurenouncountable
One of the numbers that tells the exact path of an object in space.
Like the parts of a street address: each one helps point to one exact place.
Astronomers use six orbital elements to describe a planet's path.
One element tells how stretched the orbit is.
Note
20
nounobsolete
The sky.
Sometimes, solitude is of all things my wish; and the awful silence of the night, the spangled element, and the rising and setting sun, how promotive of contemplation!
1748, [Samuel Richardson], ClarissaHere, element means the sky.
Note
21
nounobsolete
One of the invisible spinning balls that people long ago believed carried the sun, moon, and stars.
Note
22
verbobsoletetransitive
To make something by mixing simple parts together.
Dull ſublunary lovers love / (VVhoſe ſoule is ſenſe) cannot admit / Abſence, becauſe it doth remove / Thoſe things vvhich elemented it.
1611, J[ohn] Donne, “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning”Here, elemented means made up or put together from simple parts.
Note
23
verbobsoletetransitive
To be the parts that make up something.
His very soul was elemented of nothing but sadness.
1658, Izaak Walton, Life of DonneHere, elemented means made up of, with sadness as its only part.
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin "elementum," meaning a first principle or basic part. It came into English through French.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

English element derives ultimately from Latin elementum. en.wiktionary.org
Latin elementum means a first principle or basic part. en.wiktionary.org
The word entered English through French. en.wiktionary.org