Part vs. Element — What's the Difference?

A portion, division, piece, or segment of a whole.

A fundamental, essential, or irreducible constituent of a composite entity.

Any of several equal portions or fractions that can constitute a whole or into which a whole can be divided

Elements The basic assumptions or principles of a subject.

A division of a book or artistic work such as a film

A member of a set.

An organ, member, or other division of an organism

A point, line, or plane.

Parts The external genitals.

A part of a geometric configuration, such as an angle in a triangle.

A component that can be separated from or attached to a system; a detachable piece

The generatrix of a geometric figure.

Often parts A region, area, land, or territory

Any of the terms in the rectangular array of terms that constitute a matrix or determinant.

A role

Chemistry & Physics A substance composed of atoms having an identical number of protons in each nucleus. Elements cannot be reduced to simpler substances by normal chemical means. See Periodic Table.

One's responsibility, duty, or obligation; share

One of four substances, earth, air, fire, or water, formerly regarded as a fundamental constituent of the universe.

Parts Abilities or talents

(Electricity)The resistance wire in an electrical appliance such as a heater or an oven.

The music or score for a particular instrument, as in an orchestra.

Elements The forces that constitute the weather, especially severe or inclement weather:outside paint that had been damaged by the elements.

One of the melodic divisions or voices of a contrapuntal composition.

An environment naturally suited to or associated with an individual:He is in his element when traveling. The business world is her element.

The line where the hair on the head is parted.

A distinct group within a larger community:the dissident element on campus.

To cause to move apart; put apart

A ground unit in an air force comparable to a platoon.

To divide into two or more parts; split

A unit of an air force equal to two or three aircraft.

To break up the relationship or association of

Elements The bread and wine of the Eucharist.

To comb (hair, for example) away from a dividing line, as on the scalp.

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.

To go away from; depart from

(chemistry) Any one of the simplest chemical substances that cannot be decomposed in a chemical reaction or by any chemical means and made up of atoms all having the same number of protons.

(Archaic) To divide into shares or portions.

One of the four basic building blocks of matter in theories of ancient philosophers and alchemists: water, earth, fire, and air.

To be divided or separated

A basic, simple substance out of which something is made, raw material.

To move apart

(legal) A required aspect or component of a cause of action. A deed is regarded as a violation of law only if each element can be proved.

To leave one another; take leave

(set theory) One of the objects in a set.

To go away from another; depart

(mathematics) One of the entries of a matrix.

(Archaic) To die.

Any of the teeth of a zip fastener.

To separate or divide into ways going in different directions

A small part of the whole.

To disagree or stop associating because of a disagreement

A small but present amount of a quality, a hint.

Partially; in part

A factor, one of the conditions contributing to a result.

Not full or complete; partial

(obsolete) The sky.

A portion; a component.

(obsolete) Any one of the heavenly spheres believed to carry the celestial bodies.

A fraction of a whole.

Atmospheric forces such as strong winds and rains.

A distinct element of something larger.

A place or state of being that an individual or object is best suited to.

A group inside a larger group.

The bread and wine taken at Holy Communion.

Share, especially of a profit.

A group of people within a larger group having a particular common characteristic.

A unit of relative proportion in a mixture.

(in the plural only) The basic principles of a field of knowledge, basics, fundamentals, rudiments.

3.5 centiliters of one ingredient in a mixed drink.

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.

A section of a document.

(mathematics) An infinitesimal interval of a quantity, a differential.

A section of land; an area of a country or other territory; region.

(astronomy) An orbital element; one of the parameters needed to uniquely specify a particular orbit.

A factor.

(computing) One of the conceptual objects in a markup language, usually represented in text by tags.

(US) A room in a public building, especially a courtroom.

(obsolete) To compound of elements.

Duty; responsibility.

(obsolete) To constitute and be the elements of.

Position or role (especially in a play).

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.

(music) The melody played or sung by a particular instrument, voice, or group of instruments or voices, within a polyphonic piece.

One of the ultimate, undecomposable constituents of any kind of matter. Specifically: (Chem.) A substance which cannot be decomposed into different kinds of matter by any means at present employed; as, the elements of water are oxygen and hydrogen.

Each of two contrasting sides of an argument, debate etc.; "hand".

One of the ultimate parts which are variously combined in anything; as, letters are the elements of written language; hence, also, a simple portion of that which is complex, as a shaft, lever, wheel, or any simple part in a machine; one of the essential ingredients of any mixture; a constituent part; as, quartz, feldspar, and mica are the elements of granite.

(US) The dividing line formed by combing the hair in different directions.

One out of several parts combined in a system of aggregation, when each is of the nature of the whole; as, a single cell is an element of the honeycomb.

(Judaism) In the Hebrew lunisolar calendar, a unit of time equivalent to 3⅓ seconds.

One of the simplest essential parts, more commonly called cells, of which animal and vegetable organisms, or their tissues and organs, are composed.

A constituent of character or capacity; quality; faculty; talent; usually in the plural with a collective sense.

An infinitesimal part of anything of the same nature as the entire magnitude considered; as, in a solid an element may be the infinitesimal portion between any two planes that are separated an indefinitely small distance. In the calculus, element is sometimes used as synonymous with differential.

(intransitive) To leave the company of.

One of the necessary data or values upon which a system of calculations depends, or general conclusions are based; as, the elements of a planet's orbit.

To cut hair with a parting; shed.

The simplest or fundamental principles of any system in philosophy, science, or art; rudiments; as, the elements of geometry, or of music.

(transitive) To divide in two.

Any outline or sketch, regarded as containing the fundamental ideas or features of the thing in question; as, the elements of a plan.

(intransitive) To be divided in two or separated; shed.

One of the simple substances, as supposed by the ancient philosophers; one of the imaginary principles of matter.

To divide up; to share.

The conditions and movements of the air.

(obsolete) To have a part or share; to partake.

The whole material composing the world.

To separate or disunite; to remove from contact or contiguity; to sunder.

The bread and wine used in the eucharist or Lord's supper.

(obsolete) To hold apart; to stand or intervene between.

To compound of elements or first principles.

To separate by a process of extraction, elimination, or secretion.

To constitute; to make up with elements.

To leave; to quit.

An abstract part of something;

To leave (an IRC channel).

Any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter

Fractional; partial.

An artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a system;

Partly; partially; fractionally.

One of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe;

One of the portions, equal or unequal, into which anything is divided, or regarded as divided; something less than a whole; a number, quantity, mass, or the like, regarded as going to make up, with others, a larger number, quantity, mass, etc., whether actually separate or not; a piece; a fragment; a fraction; a division; a member; a constituent.

The most favorable environment for a plant or animal;

An equal constituent portion; one of several or many like quantities, numbers, etc., into which anything is divided, or of which it is composed; proportional division or ingredient.

The situation in which you are happiest and most effective;

A constituent portion of a living or spiritual whole; a member; an organ; an essential element.

A straight line that generates a cylinder or cone

That which belongs to one, or which is assumed by one, or which falls to one, in a division or apportionment; share; portion; lot; interest; concern; duty; office.

A constituent of character or capacity; quality; faculty; talent; - usually in the plural with a collective sense.

One of the opposing parties or sides in a conflict or a controversy; a faction.

Quarter; region; district; - usually in the plural.

A particular character in a drama or a play; an assumed personification; also, the language, actions, and influence of a character or an actor in a play; or, figuratively, in real life; as, to play the part of Macbeth. See To act a part, under Act.

Such portion of any quantity, as when taken a certain number of times, will exactly make that quantity; as, 3 is a part of 12; - the opposite of multiple. Also, a line or other element of a geometrical figure.

One of the different melodies of a concerted composition, which heard in union compose its harmony; also, the music for each voice or instrument; as, the treble, tenor, or bass part; the violin part, etc.

To divide; to separate into distinct parts; to break into two or more parts or pieces; to sever.

To divide into shares; to divide and distribute; to allot; to apportion; to share.

To separate or disunite; to cause to go apart; to remove from contact or contiguity; to sunder.

To hold apart; to stand between; to intervene betwixt, as combatants.

To separate by a process of extraction, elimination, or secretion; as, to part gold from silver.

To leave; to quit.

To separate (a collection of objects) into smaller collections; as, to part one's hair in the middle.

To be broken or divided into parts or pieces; to break; to become separated; to go asunder; as, rope parts; his hair parts in the middle.

To go away; to depart; to take leave; to quit each other; hence, to die; - often with from.

To perform an act of parting; to relinquish a connection of any kind; - followed by with or from; as, to part with one's money.

To have a part or share; to partake.

Partly; in a measure.

Something determined in relation to something that includes it;

The extended spatial location of something;

So far as concerns the actor specified;

Something less than the whole of a human artifact;

One of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole;

The actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group;

A portion of a natural object;

An actor's portrayal of someone in a play;

Assets belonging to or due to or contributed by an individual person or group;

Any one of a number of individual efforts in a common endeavor;

The melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music;

A line where the hair is parted;

Go one's own away; move apart;

Discontinue an association or relation; go different ways;

Leave;

Come apart;

Force, take, or pull apart;

In part; in some degree; not wholly;