element
US /ˈel.ə.mənt/
UK /ˈel.ə.mənt/
1.
a part or aspect of something abstract, especially one that is essential or characteristic
:
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Trust is a key element in any relationship.
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The story had all the elements of a classic tragedy.
2.
each of more than one hundred substances that cannot be chemically interconverted or broken down into simpler substances and are primary constituents of matter. Each element is distinguished by its atomic number, i.e. the number of protons in the nuclei of its atoms.
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Oxygen is a vital element for life.
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The periodic table lists all known chemical elements.
3.
4.
a group of people forming a minor or subordinate part of a larger group
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There's a criminal element in the city.
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The radical elements were excluded from the discussion.
5.
the natural environment of a person or animal
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He's always been at home in his natural element, the mountains.
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Fish are in their element in water.