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.
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.
The simplicity which is so large an element in a noble nature was laughed to scorn.1881, Benjamin Jowett, Thucydides:
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Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences 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.2013, “Elements for Kids — Hydrogen”, in www.duckster.com, archived from the original on 15 Jul 2013:
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Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences 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.
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One of the four basic building blocks of matter in theories of ancient philosophers and alchemists: water, earth, fire, and air.
The she asked the elements to send their spirits to her.1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 59:
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Plural normally A basic, simple substance out of which something is made, raw material.
Thus ſhall my heart be ſtil combinde with thine, Untill our bodies turne to Elements: And both our ſoules aſpire celeſtiall thrones.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
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Law 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.
[…] the majority of names being compounded of two elements chosen from a stock of special name-words.1945, E[lizabeth] G[idley] Withycombe, “Introduction”, in The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page xi:
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Mathematics, Sciences One of the entries of a matrix.
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Any of the teeth of a zip fastener.
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A small part of the whole.
an element of the picture
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A small but present amount of a quality, a hint.
an element of doubt
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.1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings:
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A factor, one of the conditions contributing to a result.
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!1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LXIX”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC:
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Obsolete Any one of the heavenly spheres believed to carry the celestial bodies in premodern cosmology.
A group of people within a larger group having a particular common characteristic.
You sometimes find the hooligan element at football matches.
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In plural The basic principles of a field of knowledge, basics, fundamentals, rudiments.
Miniature Nuremberg kitchens complete with all the utensils were said to teach children the elements of housewifery.1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 198:
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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.
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.1960 February 23, “High-Voltage Electric Locomotive for British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 125:
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Mathematics, Sciences An infinitesimal interval of a quantity, a differential.
The element of area in Cartesian coordinates is dx dy.
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Astronomy, Natural sciences An orbital element; one of the parameters needed to uniquely specify a particular orbit.
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Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences 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.2011, Richard Wagner, Creating Web Pages All-in-One For Dummies:
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.
Dull ſublunary lovers love / (VVhoſe ſoule is ſenſe) cannot admit / Abſence, becauſe it doth remove / Thoſe things vvhich elemented it.1611 or 1612 (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, page 194:
elemented bodies1661, Robert Boyle, “(please specify the page)”, in The Sceptical Chymist: or Chymico-physical Doubts & Paradoxes, […], London: […] J. Cadwell for J. Crooke, […], →OCLC:
1 more example
[W]hen he ſays, he has compaſſion on’em, they ſhould ask, where then are his Bowels! […] Alaſs! fond Creature, thou art Elemented and Organ’d for other Apprehenſions […]1681, Tho[mas] Maunyngham, Two Discourses, London: Will[iam] Cademan, page 89:
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Obsolete To constitute and be the elements of (something).
His very soul was elemented of nothing but sadness.1658, Izaak Walton, Life of Donne: