Word
component
Phoneticscom·po·nent
US/kəmˈpoʊnənt/
UK/kəmpˈəʊnənt/
Definitions
01a part of a machine or system
n. one of the individual parts that makes up a machine or a piece of equipment.
n. a physical part of a mechanical or electronic device, often manufactured as a discrete unit.
“The technician replaced a broken component in the computer's cooling system.”
“The manufacturer sources high-quality electronic components from several different suppliers to ensure the final product meets safety standards.”
General-service
02a part of an idea or plan
n. a part of a larger plan, idea, or situation.
n. a constituent element of a conceptual whole, such as a strategy, curriculum, or chemical mixture.
“Regular exercise is a vital component of a healthy lifestyle.”
“The research team identified three key components of the economic crisis that had been overlooked by previous analysts.”
Academic
Synonyms
03forming a whole
adj. describing the parts that make up a larger thing.
adj. serving as one of the parts of a whole; non-gradable and typically used before a noun.
“The scientist broke the substance down into its component parts.”
“By examining the component elements of the alloy, the engineers were able to determine why the structure failed under pressure.”
Academic · Formal
Usage
Always used before a noun.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The $25 mail-order kit came with instructions on how to skin the board and attach the necessary components.” “It would take vaccine manufacturers a decade to separate the MMR vaccine into its three different components.” “Our study also highlighted how economic well-being influences other components of a person’s overall well-being, such as their mental, emotional or social health.” “Adding everything else in, such as a bus (backbone), GPUs, and other components, the satellites will likely weigh between 3.5 and 7.5 metric tons.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin compōnēns, compōnēntis, present participle of compōnō (“assemble, put together”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.