I. com ‧ po ‧ nent 1 W2 AC /kəmˈpəʊnənt $ -ˈpoʊ-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: present participle of componere ; ⇨ ↑ compound 2 ]
one of several parts that together make up a whole machine, system etc SYN constituent :
companies that make electronic components for computer products
component of
each component of their work
key/major/important etc component
Exercise is one of the key components of a healthy lifestyle.
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THESAURUS
▪ part something that together with other things forms a whole:
It looks like part of a car engine.
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The best part of the movie was the end.
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The hardest part is getting started.
▪ bit especially British English informal a small part of something:
Some bits of the book are really funny.
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I didn’t read the bottom bit.
▪ piece one of several different parts that you join together to make something:
One of the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle was missing.
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The furniture comes in several pieces.
▪ component a part of a machine or process:
The company supplies engine components for trucks.
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Education is a major component in a child' s growth and development.
▪ section a part of something that is clearly different and separate from other parts:
The test is divided into two sections.
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the reference section of the library
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the string section of the orchestra
▪ chapter one of the numbered parts that a book is divided into:
The opening chapter of the book sets the scene.
▪ scene one of the parts that a film or play is divided into:
Some scenes had to be cut because they were too violent.
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act 1, scene 2 of the play
▪ episode a part of a story on the television or the radio, which is told in separate parts:
I missed last week’s episode.
II. component 2 AC BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
the component parts of something are the parts that it consists of SYN constituent
component parts/elements etc
We’ve been breaking down the budget into its component parts.