Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ELEMENTAL

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pronounce ELEMENTAL: Say it "ell im EN tull." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: When you think of the word elemental, you might think of the Planeteers combining their elemental powers to summon Captain Planet:      "Earth!"      "Fire!"      "Wind!"      "Water!"      "Heart!" Wait, "heart"? Yeah, that's not an element! But it's shorter than qu___ess__ce, the term that more precisely means "a fifth, invisible, purest substance that was thought to exist alongside earth, fire, wind, and water." Can you recall that one? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) definition: In Latin, elementum means "a basic, fundamental part or component; or, matter in its most basic, fundamental form." This elementum entered English as early as Chaucer's time, around 1386. Back then, when the best we could figure was that matter came in four basic forms (earth, air, fire, and water), we've used "element" to mean "a basic part," especially "a basic part of nature." And we've used "elemental" to mean "having to do with basic parts, or the most basic units of matter" and "having to do with earth, air, fire, or water--or, having to do with any of the powerful forces of nature." grammatical bits: Part of speech: Adjective: "these elemental powers;" "The idea is elemental in this field." Other forms:  The adverb is "elementally." As we saw a moment ago, "element" is the noun for "basic part" and "basic power of nature." Lastly, the fascinating noun "elementalism" can mean either "the practice of worshiping the four elements of nature" or "the practice of treating deeply entwined things--such as space and time, or the body and the spirit--as if they are separate, even though they aren't." how to use it: "Elemental" is a common word, and easily understood. It's bold and dramatic, so pick it when you want to call extra attention to just how basic and fundamental something is, or just how natural and powerful something is. Compared to the similar word "elementary," which tends to emphasize how certain skills or ideas are on a low level, like stepping stones toward more complex or sophisticated things, our word "elemental" tends to emphasize how certain ideas are on a firm, strong, important, ever-present level, like bedrock. You might talk about elemental powers and forces; elemental beauty and music; elemental drives, needs, and emotions; elemental ideas and beliefs, etc. examples: "She understood the elemental rhythms of planting and harvest, the lessons and imperatives of the shifting seasons."    — Coleson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad, 2016 "The scene had changed before my eyes into something significant, elemental and profound... He smiled understandingly--much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced--or seemed to face--the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favour."    — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925 has this page helped you understand "elemental"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "elemental" without saying "fundamental" or "supremely forceful." try it out: Check out how Rachel Carson described the process of cell division: "In this elemental drama all life is revealed as one. The events of the process of cell division are common to all earthly life; neither man nor amoeba, the giant sequoia nor the simple yeast cell can long exist without carrying on this process of cell division." See if you can explain why the exciting word "elemental" fits in with Carson's tone or mood here. In other words, what attitude is she displaying toward the process of cell division, and how does the word "elemental" help convey that attitude? And, if you can, give another example of an "elemental drama" that you might witness through a microscope, a pair of binoculars, a telescope, or your eyes alone. What makes this event or process so powerful or breathtaking? If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game this month is "Codenames MYP." You can play it with a partner or by yourself. It's loosely based on the fantastic game Codenames Duet.   Check out the words in the grid. Ignore the colors; they're just the ones I had on hand.  If you’re playing with a partner, pick any 2 or 3 terms from the grid, and give your partner a one-word clue to help them guess your terms--without stumbling onto any that you didn't pick. Your partner can do the same for you. No hints! Just say your clue word and the number of terms it should point toward. If you're playing solo, try to guess 3 terms in the grid by using this clue: "massive." To see these answers, scroll all the way down. If you need any definitions, give these a click:       plumage, titan, ignition,      buttress, ramrod, logjam,      maelstrom, plateau, fissure. review this word: 1. A few near opposites of ELEMENTAL are A. PIVOTAL and KEY. B. PERIPHERAL and MEEK. C. SKELETAL and SKINNED. 2. In his book "The Boys in the Boat," Daniel James Brown wrote: "Shaping cedar resonated with him in an elemental way—it satisfied him _____." A. to be of use B. down in his core C. like a hot shower Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B Answers to the game question: With the clue "massive," I was trying to point you toward titan, buttress, and maelstrom. a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.