ingrédient
/ɛ̃.ɡʁe.djɑ̃/masculine
The French word for "ingredient" is ingrédient.
The word ingrédient refers to a substance that is present in a mixture. You can use it in common culinary expressions such as Ajouter un ingrédient (Add an ingredient), Mélanger tous les ingrédients (Mix all the ingredients) or Les ingrédients nécessaires (The necessary ingredients).
Meaning: substance present in a mixture (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
ingrédient is a masculine noun. The plural form is ingrédients.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɛ̃.ɡʁe.djɑ̃/
Did you know?
- French law mandates that ingrédients on food packaging must be listed in descending order by weight. This strict legal requirement ensures consumers know exactly which component is most prevalent.
- The French word ingrédient is a direct descendant of the Latin present participle ingredientem, meaning 'one who enters'.
- In French high gastronomy, chefs often avoid the word ingrédient in favor of matière première, which means 'raw material'. This shift in terminology emphasizes the prestige and origin of the produce rather than its role in a recipe.
Examples in context
- Quel est l'ingrédient secret ?What's the secret ingredient?This sentence is useful for asking about a secret component using ingrédient.Tatoeba #5458129 by Aiji, translation #2355109 by Hybrid
- Je me demande ce qu'est l'ingrédient secret.I wonder what the secret ingredient is.This sentence is useful for expressing curiosity about a secret component using ingrédient.Tatoeba #6556264 by Aiji, translation #3164496 by CK
- La farine est le principal ingrédient des gâteaux.Flour is the main ingredient in cakes.This sentence is useful for identifying a main component in cakes using ingrédient.Tatoeba #11290247 by lbdx, translation #267673 by CM
- Nous avons besoin de ces ingrédients pour préparer le plat.We need these ingredients to prepare the dish.
- Il s'agit d'un constituant essentiel de cette sauce.This is an essential ingredient of this sauce.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are looking at a recipe in the kitchen.
- GabrielIl manque un ingrédient dans cette recette.One ingredient is missing from this recipe.
- LéaLequel manque, Gabriel ?Which one is missing, Gabriel?
- GabrielIl manque le sucre.The sugar is missing.
- LéaJe vais l'ajouter tout de suite.I will add it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ingredient” translations and entries ingrédient, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ingrédient, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
