Disclosed is an organic electroluminescent element which is excellent with respect to luminous efficiency and driving voltage and rarely undergoes initial luminance drop. Specifically disclosed is an organic electroluminescent element which comprises, on a substrate, a pair of electrodes composed of an anode and a cathode and a light-emitting layer arranged between the electrodes, and additionally comprises at least one organic layer arranged between the light-emitting layer and the cathode, where in the light-emitting layer contains, for example, a compound (A-1), and the at least one layer arranged between the light-emitting layer and the cathode contains, for example, a compound (e-4).