Main Entry: el·e·ment

Pronunciation: \ˈel-ə-mənt\

Function: noun

1 : any of the four substances air, water, fire, and earth formerly believed to compose the physical universe
2 : a constituent part: as

[element table]

a : any of more than 100 fundamental substances that consist of atoms of only one kind and that singly or in combination constitute all matter b : one of the distinct parts (as a lens) of a composite device (as a microscope) c : one of the basic constituent units (as a cell or fiber) of a tissue