in one's element

Idioms and Phrases

In an environment naturally suited to or associated with one; doing what one enjoys. For example, He's in his element when he's doing woodworking . This term alludes to one's natural abode, as does the antonym, out of one's element (used by Daniel Defoe in Robinson Crusoe , 1719: “When they came to make boards ... they were quite out of their element”). [Late 1500s] Also see in one's glory .