ingredient

[ in-gree-dee-uhnt ]

noun

1. something that enters as an element into a mixture:

   Flour, eggs, and sugar are the main ingredients in the cake.

2. a constituent element of anything; component:

   the ingredients of political success.

ingredient

/ ɪnˈɡriːdɪənt /

noun

1. a component of a mixture, compound, etc, esp in cooking

Word History and Origins

Origin of ingredient¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English from Latin ingredient- (stem of ingrediēns ), present participle of ingredī “to go or step into, commence,” equivalent to in- in- ² + -gredient- “going”; gradient

Word History and Origins

Origin of ingredient¹

C15: from Latin ingrediēns going into, from ingredī to enter; see ingress

Synonym Study

See element.

Example Sentences

Do you have a number one favorite ingredient to work with?

From Salon

What's more, the practical need to suppress voters of color becomes a central ingredient.

From Salon

For example, when bisphenol A, an ingredient in plastics, was listed in 2013, chemical concentrations in blood and urine samples subsequently fell by 15%.

From Los Angeles Times

The news is being welcomed by South Park residents, who consider a park the missing ingredient in their community.

From Los Angeles Times

"That's the magic ingredient and we're definitely gonna bring that 'anything can happen' energy again."

From BBC

Related Words

• additive
• element
• factor
• piece