An electroluminescent device comprises a light-emitting layer containing a light emitting material that contains an organometallic complex having a partial structure represented by the following formula (I): ##STR00001## wherein, M represents a metal selected from group 8, 9, or 10 metals; and one X is a carbon that forms a covalent bond with M and the other two X is are heteroatoms, one of which forms a coordinative bond with M and the other of which forms a covalent bond with M; wherein all of the Xs are linked together to form a dianionic tridentate cyclometallating ligand to form a five or six-membered metallocycle with M where each X can be a part of a separate cyclic or acyclic structure.