Meaning & use

element

noun·Academic

A basic, essential part of something, or a pure chemical substance made of one type of atom.

See it in a sentence

Trust is a crucial element of any successful long-term relationship.

Oxygen is an element that makes up about a fifth of the air we breathe.

A note on using this word

In chemistry, "element" refers strictly to a substance made of a single type of atom, like gold or oxygen.

Words with a similar meaning

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