fixture
UK[ˈfɪkstʃə]US[ˈfɪkstʃər]
n
A permanent piece of furniture or equipment that is fixed in position in a building or vehicle.
n
A person or thing that is well established in a particular place or situation and unlikely to change.
n
A sports event that is scheduled to take place on a particular date.
Morpheme Breakdown
fix
ture
fix
to fasten
ture
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'fixture' has a journey anchored in the concept of stability. Its core, 'fix', originates from the Latin verb figere, meaning "to fasten or attach", which itself may trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root dʰeygʷ-, "to stick, set up". Entering English via Old French, the suffix '-ture' (from Latin -tura) was added to create a noun denoting the result of an action. Thus, the literal "result of being fastened" evolved logically. Initially referring to the legal concept of property attached to land, its meaning broadened to encompass any permanently installed object and, metaphorically, to a person or event firmly established in a schedule or community.
Analysis
Structure: fix (to fasten) + ture (noun suffix)
- fix: From Latin fixus, the past participle of figere meaning "to fasten, fix". It functions as the core root conveying the sense of being attached or made stable.
- ture: A noun-forming suffix, often via Old French -ture from Latin -tura, indicating an action, process, or result. In this word, it forms a noun denoting the state or result of being fixed.
Examples
The bathroom fixtures, including the sink and toilet, were all replaced during the renovation.
After twenty years at the company, she had become a fixture in the accounts department.
The league will announce the full fixture list for the upcoming season next week.