Ken Ammi's blog

The term stoicheion (Strong’s G4747) is a layered one and is thus variously employed. It refers to “any first thing, from which the others belonging to some series or composite whole take their rise, an element, first principal…elements, rudiments, primary and fundamental principles of any art, science, or discipline.” As such it is used on an element of spoken speech (not writing), elements as in that of which the universe consists, etc.