a component of a mixture or compound
"The secret ingredient in the recipe is a pinch of nutmeg that transforms the entire dish."
an abstract part of something
"jealousy was a component of his character"
"two constituents of a musical composition are melody and harmony"
"the grammatical elements of a sentence"
"a key factor in her success"
"humor: an effective ingredient of a speech"
food that is a component of a mixture in cooking
"the recipe lists all the fixings for a salad"
One of the substances present in a mixture, especially food.
"The secret ingredient in her grandmother's soup was a handful of fresh basil leaves."
In plain English: An ingredient is any substance you mix into something to make it, usually food.
"The secret ingredient in her grandmother's recipe is fresh basil."
Usage: Use this term to refer to any component mixed into a recipe or substance, such as flour in bread or spices in soup. It is most commonly applied specifically to food items rather than abstract concepts like emotions or ideas.
From Middle French ingredient, from Latin ingrediens, present participle of ingredior ("to go or enter into or onto").