An electroluminescent element which comprises host materials and guest materials in a part of an electroluminescent layer, and which is superior in device characteristics such as luminous efficiency and luminous characteristics to those of the conventional electroluminescent element is provided. According to the present invention, device characteristics (luminous efficiency, luminous characteristics, or the like) of an electroluminescent element is improved by using host materials and guest materials which have a common skeleton (represented by the following general formula 1) for an electroluminescent layer interposed between a pair of electrodes in the electroluminescent element.Formula 1 ##STR00001## wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom, or the like, R2 to R5, each of which may be the same or different, are individually a hydrogen atom, or the like, and Ar1 is an aryl group which may have a substituent, or the like.