Word: element Part of Speech: noun 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. Pronunciation: /ˈɛlɪmənt/, /ˈɛləmənt/ 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. Example: Letters are the elements of written language. Example: The simplicity which is so large an element in a noble nature was laughed to scorn. 2. 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. Example: 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. 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. 4. 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. Example: The she asked the elements to send their spirits to her. 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. Labels: plural-normally Example: Thus ſhall my heart be ſtil combinde with thine, Untill our bodies turne to Elements: And both our ſoules aſpire celeſtiall thrones. 6. 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. 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. Example: […] the majority of names being compounded of two elements chosen from a stock of special name-words. 8. 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. 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. 10. A small part of the whole. Example: an element of the picture 11. A small but present amount of a quality, a hint. Example: an element of doubt Example: The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff. 12. A factor, one of the conditions contributing to a result. 13. The sky. Labels: obsolete Example: 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! 14. Any one of the heavenly spheres believed to carry the celestial bodies in premodern cosmology. Labels: obsolete 15. Atmospheric forces such as strong winds and rains. Labels: in-plural, with-definite-article Example: exposed to the elements 16. A place or state of being that a person or object is best suited to. Example: to be in one’s element 17. The bread and wine taken at Holy Communion. Labels: plural-normally 18. A group of people within a larger group having a particular common characteristic. Example: You sometimes find the hooligan element at football matches. 19. The basic principles of a field of knowledge, basics, fundamentals, rudiments. Labels: in-plural Example: Miniature Nuremberg kitchens complete with all the utensils were said to teach children the elements of housewifery. 20. 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. Example: The element in this electric kettle can heat the water in under a minute. Example: These screens incorporate a layer of transparent gold film in the laminations which forms an electric heating element to act as de-icer and de-mister. 21. An infinitesimal interval of a quantity, a differential. Example: The element of area in Cartesian coordinates is dx dy. 22. An orbital element; one of the parameters needed to uniquely specify a particular orbit. 23. One of the conceptual objects in a markup language, usually represented in text by tags. Example: The div element was introduced into HTML as a solution to the layout problem.