/in gree"dee euhnt/ , n.
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.
[ 1425-75; late ME ingredient- (s. of ingrediens ), prp. of ingredi to go or step into, commence, equiv. to in- IN- 2 + -gredient- going; see GRADIENT ]
Syn. 1. See element .
Ant . whole.