This is the 778th most frequent Catalan word.
element
A basic or essential part of something; an individual part of a larger whole.
In this sentence, 'element' is used in the context of chemistry to refer to a fundamental substance composed of atoms of the same type.
Aquest element químic és essencial per a la vida.
This chemical element is essential for life.
Here, 'element' refers to a component or aspect of a situation – specifically, the aspect of surprise in games.
L'element sorpresa és crucial en aquest tipus de jocs.
The element of surprise is crucial in this type of games.
In this usage, 'element' is used to mean a member or individual part of a group, such as the members of an orchestra.