elemental
- 01 C1 Advanced
adj.describing something that is a basic or necessary part of something else.
adj.fundamental or primary; constituting a basic or essential constituent of a larger system.
Simple“The elemental truth of the situation was that they simply didn't have enough money.”
In context“The philosopher argued that the elemental desire for freedom is what drives all human political progress.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.powerful and natural, like a great storm or a wild fire.
adj.relating to or resembling the great forces of nature, especially in being powerful, raw, or uncontrollable.
Simple“The sailors struggled against the elemental power of the ocean storm.”
In context“The poet's work often explores the elemental struggle between man and the harsh, unyielding landscape of the north.”
Antonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.related to the simplest chemical substances that cannot be broken down further.
adj.pertaining to or being a chemical element as opposed to a compound.
Simple“The lab analyzed the elemental composition of the soil sample.”
In context“The researcher used spectroscopy to determine the elemental makeup of the distant star's atmosphere.”
SynonymsuncompoundedAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
adj.related to the ancient ideas of earth, air, fire, and water.
adj.relating to the four classical elements of ancient and medieval philosophy: earth, air, fire, and water.
Simple“Ancient doctors believed that health depended on a balance of elemental forces.”
In context“The alchemist's manuscript detailed the supposed elemental transformations required to turn lead into gold.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
n.a magical creature or spirit made of one thing, like fire or water.
n.a supernatural entity or spirit associated with one of the four classical elements.
Simple“In the story, a fire elemental lived deep inside the volcano.”
In context“The fantasy novel depicts earth elementals as slow, massive creatures made entirely of living stone and clay.”
“Writer-director Satyajit Ray takes a humdrum off-the-peg concept – the buddy hangout comedy – and makes it mythic, mysterious and borderline elemental.”
“By measuring those signals and comparing them with known elemental signatures, researchers can determine what a world is made of.”
From Middle English elementall, from Medieval Latin elementālis; compare Old French elementel. By surface analysis, element + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.