trace element
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noun Biochemistry.
any element that is required in minute quantities for physiological functioning.
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Also called trace mineral.
Origin of trace element
First recorded in 1935–40
Words nearby trace element
trabs, Trabzon, tracasserie, trace, traceable, trace element, trace fossil, traceless, tracer, tracer bullet, traceried
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for trace element
British Dictionary definitions for trace element
trace element
noun
any of various chemical elements, such as iron, manganese, zinc, copper, and iodine, that occur in very small amounts in organisms and are essential for many physiological and biochemical processes
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for trace element
trace element
[ trās ]
n.
A chemical element required in minute quantities by an organism to maintain proper physical functioning.
A minute quantity or amount, as of a chemical compound.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for trace element
trace element
[ trās ]
An element present in an organism in only very small amounts but essential for normal metabolism. Iodine and cobalt are trace elements required by humans.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.