element

noun

1. 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.

   The simplicity which is so large an element in a noble nature was laughed to scorn.

2. 2

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

   Hydrogen is the first element in the periodic table. It is the simplest possible atom composed of one proton in the nucleus which is orbited by a single electron.

3. 3

   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. 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.

4. 4

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

   The she asked the elements to send their spirits to her.

5. 5

   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. A basic, simple substance out of which something is made, raw material.

   Thus ſhall my heart be ſtil combinde with thine, Untill our bodies turne to Elements: And both our ſoules aſpire celeſtiall thrones.

6. 6

   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. 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.

7. 7

   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. One of the objects in a set.

   […] the majority of names being compounded of two elements chosen from a stock of special name-words.

8. 8

   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. One of the entries of a matrix.

9. 9

   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. Any of the teeth of a zip fastener.

10. 10

    A small part of the whole.

    an element of the picture

11. 11

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

    an element of doubt

    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.

12. 12

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

13. 13

    obsoleteThe 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!

14. 14

    obsoleteAny one of the heavenly spheres believed to carry the celestial bodies in premodern cosmology.

15. 15

    Atmospheric forces such as strong winds and rains.

    exposed to the elements

16. 16

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

    to be in one’s element

17. 17

    The bread and wine taken at Holy Communion.

18. 18

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

    You sometimes find the hooligan element at football matches.

19. 19

    The basic principles of a field of knowledge, basics, fundamentals, rudiments.

    Miniature Nuremberg kitchens complete with all the utensils were said to teach children the elements of housewifery.

20. 20

    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.

    These screens incorporate a layer of transparent gold film in the laminations which forms an electric heating element to act as de-icer and de-mister.

21. 21

    An infinitesimal interval of a quantity, a differential.

    The element of area in Cartesian coordinates is dx dy.

22. 22

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

23. 23

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

    The div element was introduced into HTML as a solution to the layout problem.

verb

1. 1

   obsoleteTo compound (something) out of elements.

   Dull ſublunary lovers love / (VVhoſe ſoule is ſenſe) cannot admit / Abſence, becauſe it doth remove / Thoſe things vvhich elemented it.

   elemented bodies

   [W]hen he ſays, he has compaſſion on’em, they ſhould ask, where then are his Bowels! […] Alaſs! fond Creature, thou art Elemented and Organ’d for other Apprehenſions […]

2. 2

   obsoleteTo constitute and be the elements of (something).

   His very soul was elemented of nothing but sadness.

Forms

plural

elements

past tense

elemented

past participle

elemented

present participle

elementing

third person singular

elements