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elemental

Definition of elemental

adjective

  • 1forming an essential or typical feature; fundamental:failure is always apparent at this elemental level
  • concerned with chemical elements or other basic components:elemental analysis
  • denoting uncombined chemical elements:elemental sulphur
  • 2related to or embodying the powers of nature:a thunderstorm is the inevitable outcome of battling elemental forces
  • (of an emotion) powerful and primitive:a magical, elemental desire

noun

  • a supernatural entity or force thought to be physically manifested by occult means: gods and elementals looked out upon the worshippers

Derivatives

elementalism

noun

elementally

adverb

Origin:

late 15th century: from medieval Latin elementalis, from elementum 'principle, rudiment' (see element)

elemental in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of elemental in the US English dictionary
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