ingredient

American  

[in-gree-dee-uhnt] / ɪnˈgri di ənt /

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.

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ingredient British  

/ ɪnˈɡriːdɪənt /

noun

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

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Related Words

See element.

Etymology

Origin of ingredient

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

Example Sentences

And tariffs on Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest suppliers of cement, an essential ingredient of concrete, further increased prices on one of the project’s key materials, even among domestic providers, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s similar to saying you know what’s in Coca-Cola—carbonated water, sugar, and caramel color—yet simply mixing those ingredients together doesn’t come close to recreating the finished product.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Add weather-caused plant outages, and you have all the ingredients for a grid emergency.

From The Wall Street Journal

A single coating can have upward of 25 ingredients.

From The Wall Street Journal

Dishes were adapted to new ingredients and new expectations.

From Salon

Related Words

• additive
• element
• factor
• piece