element

element [el′ə mənt]

n.

[ME < OFr < L elementum, first principle, element]

1. any of the four substances (earth, air, fire, and water) formerly believed to constitute all physical matter

2. any of these four substances thought of as the natural environment of a class of living beings

3. the natural or suitable environment, situation, etc. for a person or thing: often in the phrase in (or out of) one's element

4.

a) a component part or quality, often one that is basic or essential [a good story has an element of suspense]

b) a constituent group of a specified kind [the criminal element in a city]

c) a determining factor

d) any of the data needed or used to make certain calculations, solve a particular problem, etc.

5. on certain electric typewriters, a hollow, metal ball with raised letters, symbols, etc. that print as the corresponding keys are depressed

6. Chem. any substance that cannot be separated into different substances by ordinary chemical methods: all matter is composed of such substances: elements can be transformed into other elements by radioactive decay or by nuclear reactions

7. Comput. one item of data, as in an ARRAY (sense 5)

8. [pl.] Eccles. the bread and wine of Communion

9. Elec.

a) any device with terminals at which it can be connected with other electrical devices

b) the wire coil that becomes glowing hot, as in an electric oven

10. Math.

a) an infinitesimal part of any magnitude; differential

b) the point, line, etc. that generates a line, surface, etc.

c) a part of a set or configuration, as a side of a triangle or a number in a matrix

11. Mil. a subdivision of a unit or formation

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the elements

1. the first or basic principles; rudiments

2. wind, rain, and the other forces of nature that make the weather

SYN.- ELEMENT, in its general use, is the broadest term for any of the basic, irreducible parts or principles of anything, concrete or abstract [the elements of a science ]; COMPONENT and CONSTITUENT both refer to any of the simple or compound parts of some complex thing or concept, but CONSTITUENT also implies that the part is essential to the complex [hemoglobin is a constituent of blood ]; INGREDIENT refers to any of the substances (sometimes nonessential) that are mixed together in preparing a food, medicine, etc. [the ingredients of a cocktail ]; FACTOR applies to any of the component parts that are instrumental in determining the nature of the complex [luck was a factor in his success ]