From Latin 'ingrediens' (entering), from 'gradi' (to step) — an ingredient is something that 'walks into' a mixture.
Any of the foods or substances that are combined to make a particular dish; a component part or element of something.
From Latin 'ingredientem' (nominative 'ingrediēns'), present participle of 'ingredī' (to go into, to enter, to step into), from 'in-' (into) + 'gradī' (to walk, to step, to go), from PIE *ghredh- (to walk, to go, to step). An ingredient is literally 'something that steps into' a mixture — an element that enters into and becomes part of a compound. The metaphor is vivid: each component walks into the composition. The PIE root *ghredh- produced a large family of movement words: Latin 'gradus' (a step, hence 'grade,' 'gradual,' 'graduate'), 'gressus' (a going, hence 'progress,' 'regress,' 'congress,' 'digress,' 'transgress,' 'egress,' 'ingress'), 'aggressiō' (a going
Food labeling laws in most countries require ingredients to be listed in descending order by weight — the first ingredient listed is the one present in the greatest quantity. This means you can learn a great deal about a food product by reading just the first three ingredients. The word 'ingredient' — something that 'steps into' the mixture — gains legal force when it appears on a label: manufacturers