an essential or characteristic part of something abstract

the death had all the elements of a great tabloid story

there are four elements to the proposal

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

strong winds, heavy rain, or other kinds of bad weather

there was no barrier against the elements

a part in an electric kettle, heater, or cooker which contains a wire through which an electric current is passed to provide heat