Element

See also: element and élément

German

Etymology

From Middle High German element, from Latin elementum (see further etymology there).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e.leˈmɛnt/, [e-], [ˌɛ-], [ˌeː-], [-le-], [-lə-]

• Audio:

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• Audio:

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Noun

Element n (strong, genitive Elementes or Elements, plural Elemente)

1. (chemistry) element
2. element; essential component
4. (chiefly in the plural) force of nature; the elements

   Die Elemente schienen sich gegen die Schiffsbesatzung verschworen zu haben.

   The elements seemed to have conspired against the ship’s crew.

5. (chiefly in the plural and with adjectives) a person, especially viewed as a member of a destructive or criminal group or movement

   Unter den Anhängern dieses Vereins gibt es gewaltbereite Elemente.

   Among the supporters of this club there are individuals who are prone to violence.

   Wir stehen hier kriminellen Elementen gegenüber, die genau wissen, was sie tun.

   We are faced in this with criminal people (or simply: criminals) who know exactly what they are doing.

Declension

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Element	die	Elemente
genitive	eines	des	Elementes, Elements	der	Elemente
dative	einem	dem	Element, Elemente1	den	Elementen
accusative	ein	das	Element	die	Elemente

Declension of Element [neuter, strong]

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

• elementar
• in seinem Element

Further reading

• “Element” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Element” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Element” in Duden online
• Element on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de