element
a component or constituent of a whole or one of the parts into which a whole may be resolved by analysis: Bricks and mortar are elements of every masonry wall.
Chemistry. one of a class of substances that cannot be separated into simpler substances by chemical means.
a natural habitat, sphere of activity, environment, etc.: to be in one's element;Water is the element of fish.
elements,
atmospheric agencies or forces; weather: a ruddy complexion from exposure to the elements.
the rudimentary principles of an art, science, etc.: the elements of grammar.
the bread and wine of the Eucharistic service.
any group of people singled out within a larger group by identifiable behavior patterns, common interests, ethnic similarities, etc.: He worried that the protest rally would attract the radical element.
one of the substances, usually earth, water, air, and fire, formerly regarded as constituting the material universe.
Mathematics.
an infinitesimal part of a given quantity, similar in nature to it.
an entity that satisfies all the conditions of belonging to a given set.
Geometry. one of the points, lines, planes, or other geometrical forms, of which a figure is composed.
Astronomy. any of the data required to define the precise nature of an orbit and to determine the position of a planet in the orbit at any given time.
Electricity. an electric device with terminals for connection to other electrical devices.
Radio. one of the electrodes in a vacuum tube.
Astrology. any of the four triplicity groupings of signs: fire, earth, air, or water.
Optics. any of the lenses or other components constituting an optical system.
Grammar. any word, part of a word, or group of words that recurs in various contexts in a language with relatively constant meaning.
Digital Technology. the start and end tags in an electronic document or web page, along with the text or other content between these tags.: See also tag1 (def. 9b).
Origin of element
1synonym study For element
Other words from element
- in·ter·el·e·ment, adjective, noun
- sub·el·e·ment, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for element
/ (ˈɛlɪmənt) /
any of the 118 known substances (of which 93 occur naturally) that consist of atoms with the same number of protons in their nuclei: Compare compound 1 (def. 1)
one of the fundamental or irreducible components making up a whole
a cause that contributes to a result; factor
any group that is part of a larger unit, such as a military formation
a small amount; hint: an element of sarcasm in her voice
a distinguishable section of a social group: he belonged to the stable element in the expedition
the most favourable environment for an animal or plant
the situation in which a person is happiest or most effective (esp in the phrases in or out of one's element)
the resistance wire and its former, which constitute the electrical heater in a cooker, heater, etc
electronics another name for component (def. 2)
one of the four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the universe (earth, air, water, or fire)
(plural) atmospheric conditions or forces, esp wind, rain, and cold: exposed to the elements
(plural) the first principles of a subject
geometry a point, line, plane, or part of a geometric figure
maths
any of the terms in a determinant or matrix
one of the infinitesimally small quantities summed by an integral, often represented by the expression following the integral sign: in ʃ b a f( x) d x, f( x )d x is an element of area
maths logic one of the objects or numbers that together constitute a set
Christianity the bread or wine consecrated in the Eucharist
astronomy any of the numerical quantities, such as the major axis or eccentricity, used in describing the orbit of a planet, satellite, etc
one of the vertical or horizontal rods forming a television or VHF radio receiving aerial
physics a component of a compound lens
Origin of element
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for element
[ ĕl′ə-mənt ]
A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. An element is composed of atoms that have the same atomic number, that is, each atom has the same number of protons in its nucleus as all other atoms of that element. Today 117 elements are known, of which 92 are known to occur in nature, while the remainder have only been made with particle accelerators. Eighty-one of the elements have isotopes that are stable. The others, including technetium, promethium, and those with atomic numbers higher than 83, are radioactive. See Periodic Table.
Mathematics A member of a set.
word history
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for element
In chemistry, any material (such as carbon, hydrogen, iron, or oxygen) that cannot be broken down into more fundamental substances. Each chemical element has a specific type of atom, and chemical compounds are created when atoms of different elements are bound together into molecules. There are 119 chemical elements whose discovery has been claimed; 92 occur in nature, and the rest have been produced in laboratories.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with element
see brave the elements; in one's element.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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