el·e·ment
(ĕĺə-mənt)
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin elementum, perhaps ultimately from lmn, first three letters of the second half of the Canaanite alphabet, recited by ancient scribes when learning it.]
noun
- A fundamental, essential, or irreducible constituent of a composite entity.
- The basic assumptions or principles of a subject.
- Mathematics
- A member of a set.
- A point, line, or plane.
- A part of a geometric configuration, such as an angle in a triangle.
- The generatrix of a geometric figure.
- Any of the terms in the rectangular array of terms that constitute a matrix or determinant.
- Chemistry & Physics A substance composed of atoms having an identical number of protons in each nucleus. Elements cannot be reduced to simpler substances by normal chemical means.
- One of four substances, earth, air, fire, or water, formerly regarded as a fundamental constituent of the universe.
- Electricity The resistance wire in an electrical appliance such as a heater or an oven.
- The forces that constitute the weather, especially severe or inclement weather: outside paint that had been damaged by the elements.
- An environment naturally suited to or associated with an individual: He is in his element when traveling. The business world is her element.
- A distinct group within a larger community: the dissident element on campus.
- A part of a military force, especially:
- A ground unit in an air force comparable to a platoon.
- A unit of an air force equal to two or three aircraft.
- The bread and wine of the Eucharist.
synonyms:
element, component, constituent, factor, ingredient These nouns denote one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up: the grammatical elements of a sentence; jealousy, a component of his character; melody and harmony, two of the constituents of a musical composition; ambition as a key factor in her success; humor, an effective ingredient of a speech.
