What does "element" mean?
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.
Element
/ˈɛlɪmənt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: 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.
- Grammar: element is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: chemical element, component, constituent, ingredient.
- Useful contrasts: chemical salt, compound mixture, mixture-type concept.
- Usage evidence: Hard work is the main element of success.
How to use "element"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "element" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "element" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "element" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "element" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "element" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "chemical element" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "element", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 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."
- 2 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 wordnet
- 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.; 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."
- 4 an abstract part of something wordnet
- 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 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.
Show 25 more definitions
- 6 the most favorable environment for a plant or animal wordnet
- 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 four basic building blocks of matter in theories of ancient philosophers and alchemists: water, earth, fire, and air.
- 8 a straight line that generates a cylinder or cone wordnet
- 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.; A basic, simple substance out of which something is made, raw material. plural-normally
"Thus ſhall my heart be ſtil combinde with thine, Untill our bodies turne to Elements: And both our ſoules aſpire celeſtiall thrones."
- 10 the situation in which you are happiest and most effective wordnet
- 11 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.
- 12 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 wordnet
- 13 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."
- 14 one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe wordnet
- 15 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.
- 16 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.
- 17 A small part of the whole.
"an element of the picture"
- 18 A small but present amount of a quality, a hint.
"an element of doubt"
- 19 A factor, one of the conditions contributing to a result.
- 20 The sky. obsolete
"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!"
- 21 Any one of the heavenly spheres believed to carry the celestial bodies in premodern cosmology. obsolete
- 22 Atmospheric forces such as strong winds and rains. in-plural, with-definite-article
"exposed to the elements"
- 23 A place or state of being that a person or object is best suited to.
"to be in one’s element"
- 24 The bread and wine taken at Holy Communion. plural-normally
- 25 A group of people within a larger group having a particular common characteristic.
"You sometimes find the hooligan element at football matches."
- 26 The basic principles of a field of knowledge, basics, fundamentals, rudiments. in-plural
"Miniature Nuremberg kitchens complete with all the utensils were said to teach children the elements of housewifery."
- 27 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."
- 28 An infinitesimal interval of a quantity, a differential.
"The element of area in Cartesian coordinates is dx dy."
- 29 An orbital element; one of the parameters needed to uniquely specify a particular orbit.
- 30 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 To compound (something) out of elements. obsolete, transitive
"Dull ſublunary lovers love / (VVhoſe ſoule is ſenſe) cannot admit / Abſence, becauſe it doth remove / Thoſe things vvhich elemented it."
- 2 To constitute and be the elements of (something). obsolete, transitive
"His very soul was elemented of nothing but sadness."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
chemical saltcompound mixturemixture-type conceptchemical compound
Example
"Hard work is the main element of success."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "element"?
Common synonyms include: chemical element, component, constituent, ingredient, acid, acidity.
How do you use "element" in a sentence?
Hard work is the main element of success.
How do you pronounce "element"?
Pronounced /ˈɛlɪmənt/.
Etymology
From Middle English element, from Old French element, from Latin elementum (“a first principle, element, rudiment”) (see further etymology there). The verb is from Middle English elementen, from the noun.