affix

1 of 2

verb

af·​fix ə-ˈfiks How to pronounce affix (audio)
a-
affixed; affixing; affixes

transitive verb

1
: to attach physically
affix a stamp to a letter
2
: to attach in any way : add, append
affix a signature to a document
3
: impress
affixed my seal
affixable adjective
affixation noun
affixment noun

affix

2 of 2

noun

af·​fix ˈa-ˌfiks How to pronounce affix (audio)
1
grammar : one or more sounds or letters occurring as a bound form attached to the beginning or end of a word, base, or phrase or inserted within a word or base and serving to produce a derivative word or an inflectional form
The affix in the word "attendance" is "-ance."
2
affixal adjective
or affixial
Choose the Right Synonym for affix

fasten, fix, attach, affix mean to make something stay firmly in place.

fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing.

fasten the reins to a post

fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding.

fixed the stake in the ground

attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together.

attach the W-2 form here

affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing.

affix your address label here

Examples of affix in a Sentence

Verb affix a first-class stamp to the envelope
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Located right on top of the mound and causing a bit of indentation is a bronze plaque affixed to a stone block that was placed there in 1910 at the request of the Wisconsin Archeological Society. Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2024 Such devices can be as simple as a disk affixed to a telescope that precisely blocks out the sun. Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 15 Feb. 2024 They are known only by their mothers’ names, taken from tags affixed to their ankles at birth. Heba Farouk Mahfouz, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 One of the gas cylinders affixed to the truck burned for several hours, officials said, creating a challenge for firefighters and residents who feared another explosion. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 The Technion model involves affixing lightweight solar sails to a small satellite sent to L1. Cara Buckley, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024 The tag must be affixed to the game taken to be legal. Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 20 Jan. 2024 Each charm was affixed via a small hole at the very tip. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Feb. 2024 In the private dining room, the family’s china sets are affixed to the ceiling. Ann Abel, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024
Noun
But the pièce de résistance is the massive set of cascading fiberglass wings sprouting lacy, geometric petals, which affix to the sleeves of the dress. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2024 The insulator on one chip affixes to the other when they are pressed together. IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2024 The industry group later offers manufacturers labels and tags to affix to products, warning parents of the hazards. Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 20 Dec. 2023 Proper installation of bedside bassinets that affix to the bed is also crucial, says Dr. Casares. Katrina Cossey, Parents, 16 Dec. 2023 Since late 2020, the 23-year-old designer has been creating videos about her tambour embroidery work, a technique that affixes beads one at a time with a hooked needle. Sakeina Syed, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2023 There is no actual affix difference between a rare dropping at 725 and 820 score. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 17 July 2023 California wildlife biologists and staff with the Nevada Department of Wildlife immobilized the bear in order to collect DNA evidence, attach an ear tag and affix a satellite tracking collar to her. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 2023 The only difference is the base armor or damage on a piece of gear, which often pales in comparison to getting a perfect roll of affixes. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 17 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'affix.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

borrowed from Latin affīxus, past participle of affīgere "to fasten (to), attach," from ad- ad- + fīgere "to drive in, insert" — more at fix entry 1

Noun

borrowed from Middle French affixe "notice, placard, element added to the base or stem of a word (originally in Hebrew grammar)," borrowed from Latin affīxus, past participle of affīgere "to fasten (to), attach" — more at affix entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of affix was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near affix

Cite this Entry

“Affix.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affix. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

affix

1 of 2 verb
af·​fix ə-ˈfiks How to pronounce affix (audio)
a-
1
: to attach physically : fasten
affix a stamp to a letter
2
: to attach in any way : add
affix a signature to a document

affix

2 of 2 noun
af·​fix ˈaf-ˌiks How to pronounce affix (audio)
: a letter or a group of letters attached to the beginning or end of a word that serves to produce a derivative word or an inflectional form

Legal Definition

affix

transitive verb
af·​fix ə-ˈfiks, a- How to pronounce affix (audio)
1
: to attach physically
2
: to attach or add in any way
affix a signature to a document
3
: to make by or as if by pressure
affix my seal

More from Merriam-Webster on affix

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!