In a general sense, an ingredient is a substance which forms part of a mixture. In cooking, recipes specify which ingredients are used to prepare a dish, and the term may also refer to a specific food item in relation to its use in different recipes. Find recipes organized by primary and important ingredients, like oils, flours and herbs. INGREDIENT definition: something that enters as an element into a mixture. See examples of ingredient used in a sentence. in•gre•di•ent (ɪnˈgri di ənt) n. 1. something that enters as an element into a mixture: the ingredients of a cake. 2. a constituent element of anything: the ingredients of political success. Browse recipes by ingredients like chicken, beef and chocolate, and search for seasonal favorites like apples, asparagus, pumpkin, strawberries, zucchini, tomatoes and more. The meaning of INGREDIENT is something that enters into a compound or is a component part of any combination or mixture : constituent. How to use ingredient in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Ingredient. Obviously, it implies an insight into the local interactions between the ingredients we have at our disposal: bubbles, cavities, and the boundary layer.