elemental

1 of 2

adjective

el·e·men·tal ˌe-lə-ˈmen-tᵊl

Synonyms of elemental next

: of, relating to, or being an element

specifically : existing as an uncombined chemical element

b(1)

: of, relating to, or being the basic or essential constituent of something : fundamental

elemental biological needs

(2)

: simple, uncomplicated

elemental food

: of, relating to, or dealing with the rudiments of something : elementary

taught elemental crafts to the children

: forming an integral part : inherent

an elemental sense of rhythm

: of, relating to, or resembling a great force of nature

the rains come with elemental violence

elemental passions

elementally

ˌe-lə-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē

adverb

elemental

2 of 2

noun

plural elementals

: a supernatural being : spirit

"It's a heritage. My mother was a witch and her mother was a witch. My specialty is (prophetic) dreaming. We believe elementals do exist," said Lady L …—

D. L. Stephenson

: an elementary part or principle

—usually plural

All objects consist of smaller objects. … Lamps, bicycles, and houses are compound objects made of constituent parts, or elementals.—

Alan L. LaityThese two epistemologies exist in distinct dimensions: science struggles to discover the elementals of our material existence through empiricism, and theology strives to describe the universality of our … existence through faith.—

Jack Hitt

Example Sentences

Adjective an elemental difference between the two Their elemental passion led to tragedy. the elemental power of the storm an elemental analysis of the solution

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Newman breaks it down in clear and unobtrusive fashion, her details as elemental and engaging as the minutiae of spycraft are to an espionage thriller. —

Jordan Riefe, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2023 But even if sufficient materiel was in place, the weather presented a more elemental obstacle. —

Anastacia Galouchka, Washington Post, 26 May 2023 In Chicago, this tension came down, in early 2022, to the most elemental question for unions: whether or not to strike. —

Jonathan Mahler, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2023 Maddie, Siegel's character in the elemental cabin-in-the-woods slasher Hush, is a writer who's retreated to an isolated house in the woods to get away from society and get some work done. —

Katie Rife, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2022 To discover the hidden pooch, conservators used a non-destructive analytical technique known as X-ray fluorescence to draw out the elemental composition of materials in the painting. —

Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023 Since the first episode, dancers have appeared throughout the show in lyrical vignettes that amplify characters’ unspoken emotions, making movement as much an elemental language of the dramedy series as music and spoken word. —

Los Angeles Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2023 Then again, all the dialogue here is stilted, and the elemental nature of some national stereotypes presented (esp. —

Dennis Harvey, Variety, 3 May 2023 Andy can instantly heal all his units to get you out of a pinch, for example, while Drake can use elemental abilities to serve up some serious damage. —

Brittany Vincent, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2023

Noun

However, people who are using iodine to prevent or eliminate acne are not putting elemental pure iodine on their faces, Dr. Alam clarified. —

Alyssa Hui, Health, 1 June 2023 Among these groupings are the four elemental types, or triplicities: earth signs, air signs, water signs, and fire signs—the feistiest of them all. —

Women's Health, 12 May 2023 Not surprisingly, the aesthetic Adams fashioned in this austere crucible prizes the elemental in music, but does so without retreating into a cave of unthinking primitivism. —

Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2015 The 2017 Zelda game already allowed for so much player experimentation with physics and elemental systems, such as burning grass creating a gust of wind. —

Gene Park, Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2023 All of this is to say that Dead Island 2’s crafting, weapon and elemental damage systems work together fairly neatly. —

Kris Holt, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023 Reversion to the elemental. —

James Parker, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2022 Both are smaller than later pieces by the artists and are made of materials that give them an aura of the elemental. —

Lee Cullum, Dallas News, 17 Mar. 2023 Katsoupis calls into question the overly inflated value of art while reminding us that expression is inherently human and elemental. —

Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elemental.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.