Origin: Latin suffix -ment
Element has 10 different meanings across 1 category:
an abstract part of something
"jealousy was a component of his character"
"two constituents of a musical composition are melody and harmony"
"the grammatical elements of a sentence"
"a key factor in her success"
"humor: an effective ingredient of a speech"
an artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a system
"spare components for cars"
"a component or constituent element of a system"
any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter
"The periodic table lists every chemical element, ranging from common hydrogen to rare uranium."
one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe
"the alchemists believed that there were four elements"
a straight line that generates a cylinder or cone
"When sketching technical drawings, remember that every element of the resulting cone must be traced as a straight line originating from the apex."
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.
"The lack of trust is a key element that threatens to destroy our partnership."
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.
"The scientist explained that gold is an element, meaning it consists entirely of atoms with 79 protons that cannot be broken down into simpler substances through chemical reactions."
In plain English: An element is a basic building block of matter that cannot be broken down into anything simpler.
"The water was too cold for me to swim without a wetsuit and other safety elements."
Usage: Use element to describe a basic component that makes up something larger, such as water being an essential element of life. Avoid using it interchangeably with "elementary," which refers to beginner-level knowledge or simple concepts.
To compound of elements.
"The new alloy was created by melting iron together with carbon and other essential elements to form a stronger material."
In plain English: To element something means to break it down into its basic parts so you can see how it works.
"The new software update will element outdated plugins from your system."
Usage: The verb "element" means to break something down into its basic components or constituent parts. Use it when analyzing a complex system to identify the fundamental substances or factors that make it up.
The word "element" entered English via Middle English and Old French from a Latin term meaning a first principle or basic component. Its related verb form was later developed directly from this same noun in Middle English.