Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - element

~ n 1 »CHEMISTRY« a simple chemical substance such as carbon or oxygen that consists of atoms of only one kind  (- compare compound1 (1)) 2 an element of surprise/danger/doubt etc a small amount of a quality or feeling  (There's always an element of risk in this kind of investment.) 3 »PEOPLE« a group of people who form part of a larger group, especially when the rest of the group does not approve of them  (There is a strong right-wing element in the organization.) 4 »PART« one part of a whole system, plan, piece of writing etc  (Rhyme is just one of the elements of his poetry.) 5 »WEATHER« the elements the weather, especially bad weather  (battling against the elements) 6 »HEATING« the heating part of a piece of electrical equipment such as a kettle 7 the elements of sth the most simple things that you have to learn first about a subject  (I never managed to understand even the elements of calculus.) 8 »EARTH/AIR/FIRE/WATER« one of the four substances (earth, air, fire, and water) from which people used to believe that everything was made 9 be in your element to be in a situation that you enjoy, because you are good at it  (He's in his element when he's talking to large groups of people.) 10 be out of your element to be in a situation that makes you uncomfortable or unhappy  (I felt out of my element surrounded by so much finery.)