element

/ˈɛlɪmənt/

//ˈɛlɪmənt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"element" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“element” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,228 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,228
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

element vs eleven
71% similar
element vs elements
88% similar
element vs eleventh
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for element
PropertyValue
Headwordelement
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛlɪmənt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#3,228
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “element” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). element lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for element is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛlɪmənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,228 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 23 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for element, with forms such as "eelment", "eleemnt", and "elemennt". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "eleven", "elements", "eleventh", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English element, from Old French element, from Latin elementum (“a first principle, element, rudiment”) (see further etymology there). The verb is from Middle English elementen, from the noun. The correct English form is element, spelled E-L-E-M-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
  2. 2
    One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
  3. 3
    One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
  4. 4
    One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
  5. 5
    One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
  6. 6
    One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
  7. 7
    One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
  8. 8
    One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
  9. 9
    One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
  10. 10
    A small part of the whole.
  11. 11
    A small but present amount of a quality, a hint.
  12. 12
    A factor, one of the conditions contributing to a result.
  13. 13
    The sky.
  14. 14
    Any one of the heavenly spheres believed to carry the celestial bodies in premodern cosmology.
  15. 15
    Atmospheric forces such as strong winds and rains.
  16. 16
    A place or state of being that a person or object is best suited to.
  17. 17
    The bread and wine taken at Holy Communion.
  18. 18
    A group of people within a larger group having a particular common characteristic.
  19. 19
    The basic principles of a field of knowledge, basics, fundamentals, rudiments.
  20. 20
    A component in electrical equipment, often in the form of a coil, having a high resistance, thereby generating heat when a current is passed through it.
  21. 21
    An infinitesimal interval of a quantity, a differential.
  22. 22
    An orbital element; one of the parameters needed to uniquely specify a particular orbit.
  23. 23
    One of the conceptual objects in a markup language, usually represented in text by tags.

Etymology

From Middle English element, from Old French element, from Latin elementum (“a first principle, element, rudiment”) (see further etymology there). The verb is from Middle English elementen, from the noun.

This word in other languages

elemento(Español)élément(Français)Element(Deutsch)fundamento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eelment,eleemnt,elemennt,elementt,elemetn,elemment,elemnet,ellement,elmeent,leement

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of element - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

eelment2eleemnt2elemennt1elementt1elemetn2elemment1elemnet2ellement1
Edit distance from "element"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "element"?
"element" is spelled E-L-E-M-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛlɪmənt/.
What does "element" mean?
As a noun, "element" means: One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
What words are commonly confused with "element"?
"element" is commonly confused with "eleven", "elements", "eleventh". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "element"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "element" is /ˈɛlɪmənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "element"?
From Middle English element, from Old French element, from Latin elementum (“a first principle, element, rudiment”) (see further etymology there). The verb is from Middle English elementen, from the noun. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “element”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-E-M-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛlɪmənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “eleven” - see the side-by-side comparison. element vs eleven
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list