in one's element
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In one's usual surround- ings, within one's ordinary range of activity, enjoying oneself thoroughly. The allusion is to the natural abode of any animals, as the air to birds, water to fish.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “in one's element” mean?
In one's usual surround- ings, within one's ordinary range of activity, enjoying oneself thoroughly. The allusion is to the natural abode of any animals, as the air to birds, water to fish.
Is “in one's element” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.