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element

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el⋅e⋅ment

  [el-uh-muhnt]
Use element in a Sentence
–noun
1. a component or constituent of a whole or one of the parts into which a whole may be resolved by analysis: Bricks and mortar are elements of every masonry wall.
2. Chemistry. one of a class of substances that cannot be separated into simpler substances by chemical means. See also chart under periodic table.
3. a natural habitat, sphere of activity, environment, etc.: to be in one's element; Water is the element of fish.
4. elements,
a. atmospheric agencies or forces; weather: a ruddy complexion from exposure to the elements.
b. the rudimentary principles of an art, science, etc.: the elements of grammar.
c. the bread and wine of the Eucharistic service.
5. any group of people singled out within a larger group by identifiable behavior patterns, common interests, ethnic similarities, etc.: He worried that the protest rally would attract the radical element.
6. one of the substances, usually earth, water, air, and fire, formerly regarded as constituting the material universe.
7. Mathematics.
a. an infinitesimal part of a given quantity, similar in nature to it.
b. an entity that satisfies all the conditions of belonging to a given set.
8. Geometry. one of the points, lines, planes, or other geometrical forms, of which a figure is composed.
9. Astronomy. any of the data required to define the precise nature of an orbit and to determine the position of a planet in the orbit at any given time.
10. Electricity. an electric device with terminals for connection to other electrical devices.
11. Radio. one of the electrodes in a vacuum tube.
12. Astrology. any of the four triplicity groupings of signs: fire, earth, air, or water.
13. Optics. any of the lenses or other components constituting an optical system.
14. Grammar. any word, part of a word, or group of words that recurs in various contexts in a language with relatively constant meaning.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME (< AF) < L elementum one of the four elements, letter of the alphabet, first principle, rudiment

Synonyms:
Element, component, constituent, ingredient refer to units that are parts of whole or complete substances, systems, compounds, or mixtures. Element denotes a fundamental, ultimate part: the basic elements of matter; resolve the problem into its elements. Component and constituent refer to a part that goes into the making of a complete system or compound. Component often refers to one of a number of parts: a new component for the stereo system. Constituent suggests a necessary part of the whole: The constituents of a molecule of water are two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Ingredient is most frequently used in nonscientific contexts: the ingredients of a cake; the ingredients of a successful marriage.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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el·e·ment   (ěl'ə-mənt)   


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n.  

  1. A fundamental, essential, or irreducible constituent of a composite entity.

  2. elements The basic assumptions or principles of a subject.

  3. Mathematics

    1. A member of a set.

    2. A point, line, or plane.

    3. A part of a geometric configuration, such as an angle in a triangle.

    4. The generatrix of a geometric figure.

    5. Any of the terms in the rectangular array of terms that constitute a matrix or determinant.

    6. A ground unit in an air force comparable to a platoon.

    7. A unit of an air force equal to two or three aircraft.

  4. 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.

  5. One of four substances, earth, air, fire, or water, formerly regarded as a fundamental constituent of the universe.

  6. Electricity The resistance wire in an electrical appliance such as a heater or an oven.

  7. elements The forces that constitute the weather, especially severe or inclement weather: outside paint that had been damaged by the elements.

  8. An environment naturally suited to or associated with an individual: He is in his element when traveling. The business world is her element.

  9. A distinct group within a larger community: the dissident element on campus.

  10. A part of a military force, especially:

    1. A ground unit in an air force comparable to a platoon.

    2. A unit of an air force equal to two or three aircraft.

  11. elements The bread and wine of the Eucharist.


[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.]
Synonyms: 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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

element

In chemistry, any material (such as carbon, hydrogen, iron, or oxygen) that cannot be broken down into more fundamental substances. Each chemical element has a specific type of atom, and chemical compounds are created when atoms of different elements are bound together into molecules. There are 119 chemical elements whose discovery has been claimed; 92 occur in nature, and the rest have been produced in laboratories.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

element 
c.1300, "earth, air, fire, water," from O.Fr. element, from L. elementem "rudiment, first principle, matter in its most basic form," origin unknown (translated Gk. stoikheion). Modern chemical sense is 1813. Elements "atmospheric force" is 1555; elementary school is 1841.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: el·e·ment
Function: noun
: one of the constituent parts (as a particular act, a mental state, or an attendant circumstance) of a crime as defined by statute that the prosecution must prove to win a conviction
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: el·e·ment
Pronunciation: 'el-&-m&nt
Function: noun
1 : any of the four substances air, water, fire, and earthformerly believed to compose the physical universe
2 : a constituent part: as a : any of more than 100 fundamental substances that consist of atoms of only onekind and that singly or in combination constitute all matter b : one of the distinct parts (as a lens) of a composite device (as a microscope) c : one of the basicconstituent units (as a cell or fiber) of a tissue
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

element el·e·ment (ěl'ə-mənt)
n.

  1. A substance that cannot be reduced to simpler substances by normal chemical means and that is composed of atoms having an identical number of protons in each nucleus.

  2. A fundamental, essential, or irreducible constituent of a composite entity.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Computing Dictionary

element
1. One of the items of data in an array.
2. One kind of node in an SGML, HTML, or XML document tree. An SGML element is typically represented by a start tag ("

") and an end tag ("

"). In some SGML implementations, some tags are omissible, as with "

" in HTML.
The start tag can contain attributes ("

"), which are an unordered set of key-value bindings for that element. Both the start tag and end tag for an element typically contain the "tag name" (also called the "GI" or generic identifier) for that element.
In XML, an element is always represented either by an explicit start tag and end tag, or by an empty element tag ("a dodad").
Other kinds of SGML node are: a section of character data ("foo"), a comment (""), a markup declaration (""), or a processing instruction ("").
(2001-01-30)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Idioms & Phrases

element

see brave the elements; in one's element.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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