A material used in an element for phase control of an electromagnetic wave signal having a frequency of 1 GHz to 10 THz. A liquid crystal composition containing at least one compound selected from a group of compounds represented by Formula (1), at least one compound selected from a group of compounds represented by Formula (2) and at least one compound selected from a group of compounds represented by Formula (3). In Formulae (1) to (3), R.sup.1, R.sup.21, R.sup.22, R.sup.31, and R.sup.32 may be alkyls having 1 to 12 carbon atoms; a ring A.sup.1 may be 1,4-phenylene; Z.sup.11, Z.sup.13, Z.sup.21, Z.sup.23, Z.sup.31, and Z.sup.33 may be single bonds; Z.sup.12, Z.sup.22, and Z.sup.32 may be C?C or C?CC?C; L.sup.13 to L.sup.16, L.sup.21 to L.sup.23, and L.sup.31 to L.sup.36 may be hydrogen or fluorine; Y.sup.11 and Y.sup.12 may be hydrogen or fluorine; and n.sup.1 may be 0. ##STR00001##

A liquid crystal composition, which is a material used for an element for electromagnetic wave signal control in a frequency range of 1 GHz to 10 THz, satisfies at least one of characteristics such as a wide temperature range of a nematic phase and a large refractive index anisotropy and a small dielectric loss tangent (tan ) in the frequency region used for control, and has an excellent balance of characteristics, and an element containing the composition. A liquid crystal composition including: at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by Formula (1). For example, R.sup.1 is C1-12 alkyl; Z.sup.11 is a single bond; L.sup.11, L.sup.12, L.sup.13 and L.sup.18 are hydrogen; L.sup.17 is methyl; Y.sup.11 and Y.sup.22 are hydrogen; and a, b, and c are respectively 0, 1, and 0. ##STR00001##

A liquid crystal composition, which is a material used for an element for electromagnetic wave signal control in a frequency range of 1 GHz to 10 THz, satisfies at least one of characteristics such as a wide temperature range of a nematic phase and a large refractive index anisotropy and a small dielectric loss tangent (tan ) in the frequency region used for control, and has an excellent balance of characteristics, and an element containing the composition. A liquid crystal composition including: at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by Formula (1). For example, R.sup.1 is C1-12 alkyl; Z.sup.11 is a single bond; L.sup.11, L.sup.12, L.sup.13 and L.sup.18 are hydrogen; L.sup.17 is methyl; Y.sup.11 and Y.sup.22 are hydrogen; and a and c are respectively 0 or 1, b is 1, and a sum of a, b, and c is 2. ##STR00001##