element

noun

(chemistry) Any one of the types of atom distinguished by having a certain number of protons in its nucleus.

(chemistry) A chemical substance made entirely of one such type of atom; 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.

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.

(usually in the plural) A basic, simple substance out of which something is made, raw material.

(law) A required aspect or component of a cause of action. A deed is regarded as a violation of law only if each element can be proved.

(set theory) One of the objects in a set.

(mathematics) One of the entries of a matrix.

A factor, one of the conditions contributing to a result.

A small but present amount of a quality, a hint.

One of the four basic building blocks of matter in theories of ancient philosophers and alchemists: water, earth, fire, and air.

(in the plural only, with "the") Atmospheric forces such as strong winds and rains.

(in the plural only) The basic principles of a field of knowledge, basics, fundamentals, rudiments.

(astronomy) An orbital element; one of the parameters needed to uniquely specify a particular orbit.

(computing) One of the conceptual objects in a markup language, usually represented in text by tags.

Any of the teeth of a zip fastener.

A small part of the whole.

(Christianity, usually in the plural) The bread and wine taken at Holy Communion.

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.

(mathematics) An infinitesimal interval of a quantity, a differential.

A place or state of being that a person or object is best suited to.

A group of people within a larger group having a particular common characteristic.

(obsolete) The sky.

(obsolete) Any one of the heavenly spheres believed to carry the celestial bodies in premodern cosmology.

verb

To compound (something) out of elements.

To constitute and be the elements of (something).

Roots

elementumelement- · Latin · first principle, rudiment

Synonyms for element

componentn factorn ingredientn integrantadj constituentn aspectn partn facetn itemn integraladj

Synonyms & related words for element

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of element — including component, factor, ingredient, integrant, constituent, aspect. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to element

Explore words related to element — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include microelement, radioelement, componential, allotropical, hassium, elemental, yttrium, didymium. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for element

Common synonyms for element include component, factor, ingredient, integrant, constituent, aspect, part, facet — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does element come from?

The word element breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root element, from Latin elementum (“first principle, rudiment”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.