Element

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈel.ɪ.mÉ™nt/

Origin

From Middle English element, from Old French element, from Latin elementum ("a first principle, element, rudiment"); origin uncertain. Perhaps ultimately from L M N, first three letters of the second half of the Canaanite alphabet, recited by ancient scribes when learning it (in sense compare English ABC(s) ("fundamentals")).

Full definition of element

Noun

1. One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
   Letters are the elements of written language.
• Benjamin Jowett (1817-1893) (Thucydides)The simplicity which is so large an element in a noble nature was laughed to scorn.
1. (chemistry) Any one of the simplest chemical substances that cannot be decomposed in a chemical reaction or by any chemical means and made up of atoms all having the same number of protons.
2. One of the four basic building blocks of matter in theories of ancient philosophers and alchemists: water, earth, fire, and air.
3. (legal) A required aspect or component of a cause of action. A deed is regarded a violation of law only if each element can be proved.
4. (set theory) One of the objects in a set.
2. A small part of the whole.
   an element of doubt;  an element of the picture
• 1927, F. E. Penny, Pulling the Strings Chapter 4, The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.
3. (plural only, with "the") Atmospheric forces such as strong winds and rains.
   exposed to the elements
4. A place or state of being that an individual or object is better suited towards.
   to be in one's own element
5. (Christianity, usually plural) The bread and wine taken at Holy Communion.
6. A group of people within a larger group having a particular common characteristic.
   You sometimes find the hooligan element at football matches.
7. A short form of heating element, a component in electrical equipment, often in the form of a coil, having a high resistance, thereby generating heat when a current is passed through it.
   The element in this electric kettle can heat the water in under a minute.
8. (computing) One of the conceptual objects in a markup language, usually represented in text by a matching pair of tags.
• 2011, Richard Wagner, Creating Web Pages All-in-One For DummiesThe div element was introduced into HTML as a solution to the layout problem.

Synonyms

• (in chemistry) chemical element
• (in set theory) member

Derived terms

• chemical element
• data element
• heating element

Related terms

• elemental
• elementary

Anagrams

• leetmen