Element, component, constituent, ingredient mean one of the parts of a compound or complex whole. See examples of component used in a sentence. A component of a vector is one of the things that the vector represents, such as force or speed.
It's not surprising that component is related to a latin word that means "to put together." you simply can't put something together without all of the correct components. The component parts of something are the parts that make it up. First we have to break the system down into its component parts.
They manufacture component parts for engines. Definition of component noun in oxford advanced learner's dictionary. A component is a part, element, or ingredient used to form a whole system, object, or process.
Jan 14, 2026noun component (plural components) a smaller, self-contained part of a larger entity. A cpu is a component of a.