component

 
Pronunciation: /kəmˈpəʊnənt/

noun

  • a part or element of a larger whole, especially a part of a machine or vehicle: an assembly plant for imported components hydrogen is a component of all organic compounds
  • each of two or more forces, velocities, or other vectors acting in different directions which are together equivalent to a given vector: he resolved the motion into horizontal and vertical components

adjective

[attributive]
  • constituting part of a larger whole; constituent: the component elements of the armed forces

Derivatives

componentize

(also componentise) verb

Origin:

mid 17th century: from Latin component- 'putting together', from the verb componere, from com- 'together' + ponere 'put'. Compare with compound1

Spelling help

Remember that component ends with -ent.