Princeton's WordNet

1. component, constituent, element, factor, ingredient(noun)

   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"

2. component, constituent, element(noun)

   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"

3. chemical element, element(noun)

   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

4. element(noun)

   the most favorable environment for a plant or animal

   "water is the element of fishes"

5. element(noun)

   one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe

   "the alchemists believed that there were four elements"

6. element(noun)

   the situation in which you are happiest and most effective

   "in your element"

7. element(noun)

   a straight line that generates a cylinder or cone

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

1. element(noun)ˈɛl ə mənt

   one part or component of sth

   Humor is just one element of his personality.; There was an element of luck in our win.

2. elementˈɛl ə mənt

   a substance that cannot be broken down into a simpler one

   ***the chemical elements

3. elementˈɛl ə mənt

   feeling/not feeling confident in a situation

   He's in his element talking to a big crowd.

Wiktionary

1. element(Noun)

   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.

2. element(Noun)

   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.

3. element(Noun)

   One of the four basic building blocks of matter in theories of ancient philosophers and alchemists: water, earth, fire, and air

4. element(Noun)

   Something small.

   an element of doubt

5. element(Noun)

   Atmospheric forces such as strong winds and rains.

6. element(Noun)

   A place or state of being that an individual or object is better suited towards.

   be in one's own element

7. element(Noun)

   A required aspect or component of a cause of action. A deed is regarded a violation of law only if each element can be proved.

8. element(Noun)

   One of the objects in a set.

9. element(Noun)

   A group of people within a larger group having a particular common characteristic.

   You sometimes find the hooligan element at football matches.

10. element(Noun)

    A short form of heating element, 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.

11. element(Noun)

    One of the conceptual objects in a markup language, usually represented in text by a matching pair of tags.

Origin: From element, from element, from elementum; origin uncertain. Perhaps ultimately from lmn, first three letters of the second half of the Canaanite alphabet, recited by ancient scribes when learning it

Webster Dictionary

1. Element(noun)

   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

2. Element(noun)

   one of the ultimate, undecomposable constituents of any kind of matter. Specifically: (Chem.) A substance which cannot be decomposed into different kinds of matter by any means at present employed; as, the elements of water are oxygen and hydrogen

3. Element(noun)

   one of the ultimate parts which are variously combined in anything; as, letters are the elements of written language; hence, also, a simple portion of that which is complex, as a shaft, lever, wheel, or any simple part in a machine; one of the essential ingredients of any mixture; a constituent part; as, quartz, feldspar, and mica are the elements of granite

4. Element(noun)

   one out of several parts combined in a system of aggregation, when each is of the nature of the whole; as, a single cell is an element of the honeycomb

5. Element(noun)

   one of the smallest natural divisions of the organism, as a blood corpuscle, a muscular fiber

6. Element(noun)

   one of the simplest essential parts, more commonly called cells, of which animal and vegetable organisms, or their tissues and organs, are composed

7. Element(noun)

   an infinitesimal part of anything of the same nature as the entire magnitude considered; as, in a solid an element may be the infinitesimal portion between any two planes that are separated an indefinitely small distance. In the calculus, element is sometimes used as synonymous with differential

8. Element(noun)

   sometimes a curve, or surface, or volume is considered as described by a moving point, or curve, or surface, the latter being at any instant called an element of the former

9. Element(noun)

   one of the terms in an algebraic expression

10. Element(noun)

    one of the necessary data or values upon which a system of calculations depends, or general conclusions are based; as, the elements of a planet's orbit

11. Element(noun)

    the simplest or fundamental principles of any system in philosophy, science, or art; rudiments; as, the elements of geometry, or of music

12. Element(noun)

    any outline or sketch, regarded as containing the fundamental ideas or features of the thing in question; as, the elements of a plan

13. Element(noun)

    one of the simple substances, as supposed by the ancient philosophers; one of the imaginary principles of matter

14. Element(noun)

    the four elements were, air, earth, water, and fire

15. Element(noun)

    the conditions and movements of the air

16. Element(noun)

    the elements of the alchemists were salt, sulphur, and mercury

17. Element(noun)

    the whole material composing the world

18. Element(noun)

    the bread and wine used in the eucharist or Lord's supper

19. Element(verb)

    to compound of elements or first principles

20. Element(verb)

    to constitute; to make up with elements

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

1. element

   An organization formed around a specific function within a designated directorate of a joint force commander

• elementeAfrikaans
• عُنْصُر، مُقَوِّمArabic
• елементBulgarian
• elementoPortuguese (BR)
• základní součástCzech
• der GrundbestandteilGerman
• element; led; del; komponentDanish
• στοιχείοGreek
• elementoSpanish
• põhiosaEstonian
• اصل؛ مبناFarsi
• perusedellytysFinnish
• élémentFrench
• יְסוֹדHebrew
• तत्वHindi
• elementCroatian
• (alkotó)elemHungarian
• unsurIndonesian
• frumatriði, undirstöðuatriðiIcelandic
• elementoItalian
• 要素Japanese
• 구성 요소Korean
• elementas, sudedamoji dalisLithuanian
• elements; daļaLatvian
• elemenMalay
• bestanddeelDutch
• bestanddel, elementNorwegian
• elementPolish
• اصل؛ مبناPersian
• اساسات، مبادى، (كيم) هغه شى چه دعادى كيمياوى عمليې له لارې نه تجزيه كيږى، برخه، جزءPashto
• elementoPortuguese
• elementRomanian
• составная частьRussian
• základná súčasťSlovak
• sestavni delSlovenian
• elemenatSerbian
• grundvillkor, beståndsdelSwedish
• องค์ประกอบสำคัญThai
• öğe, unsurTurkish
• 要素Chinese (Trad.)
• елемент; складова частинаUkrainian
• کسی چیز کا اہم عنصرUrdu
• yếu tốVietnamese
• 要素Chinese (Simp.)