trace element
5
4.4
- noun
- /treɪs ˈɛlɪmənt/
- Specialized
:
oligoelemento
- Zinc is one of the essential trace elements.
- trace elements and vitamins
- trace element levels
- ten trace elements
Examples
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A custom-built atomic absorption spectrometer allows chemist Jim Harnly to detect trace elements in foods.
Academic text (1998) -
And on it are trace elements of what we believe to be alien DNA.
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Whereas the trace elements were found in small quantities in the body, they are fundamentally important.
Academic text (2015) -
"Vish told me there was a link between the trace elements in the soil and the color of the flowers."
Fiction book (1992) -
Pellets were analyzed for a range of major and trace elements.
Academic text (2018) -
Human-induced changes have overwhelmed the natural biogeochemical cycle of trace elements in many ecosystems.
Academic text (1990) -
However, the trace elements were present in relatively less quantity in both the powders and their infusions analyzed.
Academic text (2015) -
A number of trace elements in seawater can substitute for calcium in the calcium carbonate matrix.
Academic text (2008) -
Selenium is a vital trace element that helps support our immune system.
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Many fruits and vegetables provide essential trace elements needed for good health.
How Abundant
- Specialized
- Specialized
5
4.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly built from 'trace' (a very small amount) + 'element' (a chemical substance), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to an element present in very small quantities. Although used in a technical context, the compositional logic is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, making it accessible to B1 learners.
Etymology
The phrase trace element uses trace to mean 'a very small sign' and element to mean 'a chemical'. Think of a faint mark that shows something is there even if you can hardly see it. That's why a trace element is a chemical found in very small amounts but still needed for the body.