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elemental

 
Dictionary: el·e·men·tal   (ĕl'ə-mĕn'tl) pronunciation
adj.
  1. Of, relating to, or being an element.
    1. Fundamental or essential; basic.
    2. Of or relating to fundamentals; elementary.
    3. Constituting an integral part; inborn.
  2. Of such character as to resemble a force of nature in power or effect: elemental violence.
n.
In certain occult systems, an inhabitant of one of the four elements, especially any of the beings described by Paracelsus as intermediate in corporeality between humans and spirits.

elementally el'e·men'tal·ly adv.

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Thesaurus: elemental
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adjective

  1. Of or being an irreducible element: basic, elementary, essential, fundamental, primitive, ultimate, underlying. See surface/depth.
  2. Forming an essential element, as arising from the basic structure of an individual: built-in, congenital, connatural, constitutional, inborn, inbred, indigenous, indwelling, ingrained, inherent, innate, intrinsic, native, natural. See be, native/foreign, start/end.

A term usually used synonymously with elementary spirits, but sometimes given a special connotation by Spiritualists to indicate discarnate entities of a malicious nature. Theosophists use the word elemental to denote the "astral remains" or "shell" of one who has lived an evil life on Earth and who is loath to leave the scene of his pleasures. With some occultists, again, elemental really signifies a subhuman being, probably identical to an elementary spirit, but of a mental and moral status considerably lower than that of a human.

Sources:

Lévi, Éliphas. Transcendental Magic. London: Redway, 1896. Reprint, New York: Samuel Weiser, 1970.

Veterinary Dictionary: elemental
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Emanating from or pertaining to elements.

  • e. diet — see elemental diet.
Word Tutor: elemental
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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: Basic and powerful. Also: Relating to parts that are essential.

pronunciation Hurricanes, blizzards, and thunderstorms are examples of the many powerful, elemental forces of nature.

Wikipedia: Elemental
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"Undine Rising From the Waters" by Chauncey Bradley Ives

An elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus. Traditionally, there are four types:[1]

The exact term for each type varies somewhat from source to source, though these four are now the most usual. Most of these beings are found in folklore as well as alchemy; their names are often used interchangeably with similar beings from folklore.[2] The sylph, however, is rarely encountered outside of alchemical contexts.

The basic concept of an elemental refers to the ancient idea of elements as fundamental building blocks of nature. In the system prevailing in the Classical world, there were four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. This paradigm was highly influential in Medieval natural philosophy, and Paracelsus evidently intended to draw a range of mythological beings into this paradigm by identifying them as belonging to one of these four elemental types.


See also

References

  1. ^ Carole B. Silver, Strange and Secret Peoples: Fairies and Victorian Consciousness, p 38 ISBN 0-19-512199-6
  2. ^ C.S. Lewis, The Discarded Image, p135 ISBN 0-521-47735-2
  • "undine." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 16 November 2006 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9125706>.
  • Theophrast von Hohenheim a.k.a. Paracelsus, Sämtliche Werke: Abt. 1, v. 14, sec. 7, Liber de nymphis, sylphis, pygmaeis et salamandris et de caeteris spiritibus. Karl Sudhoff and Wilh. Matthießen, eds. Munich:Oldenbourg, 1933.

External links


Translations: Elemental
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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - vedrørende elementerne, natur-, vedr. grundstof, elementær, grundlæggende
n. - elementarånd

Nederlands (Dutch)
essentieel, elementair, inherent, van de, of lijkend op, de natuurkrachten

Français (French)
adj. - des éléments, élémentaire, (Chim, Phys) élémentaire, essentiel, fondamental, primitif
n. - esprit

Deutsch (German)
adj. - elementar
n. - Elementar-

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - στοιχειώδης, στοιχειακός

Italiano (Italian)
essenziale

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - simples, elementar, poderoso

Русский (Russian)
стихийный, природный, основной, фундаментальный, начальный, элементарный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - esencial, elemental, básico
n. - espíritu, aparición

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - grundläggande, enkel

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
元素的, 基本的, 基本原理

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 元素的, 基本的
n. - 基本原理

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 원소의, 기본적인, 4대요소의, 절대한, 초보의
n. - 4대 정령의 하나

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 自然の力による, すさまじい, 基本的要素の, 元素の, 基本的な, 自然力の

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) عنصري, جوهري‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮של איתני הטבע, יסודי‬
n. - ‮ישות או כוח הנחשבים להיחשף ע"י פולחן‬


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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
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