fixity

noun

fix·​i·​ty ˈfik-sə-tē How to pronounce fixity (audio)
plural fixities
1
: the quality or state of being fixed or stable
2
: something that is fixed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944 ushered in a system of international exchange-rate fixity and stability. Steve H. Hanke, WSJ, 8 Aug. 2022 The earth was stamped with cloud shadows that gave an impression both of movement and fixity — a rich, dark earth with an inner seam that showed red and metallic in places. New York Times, 11 Nov. 2021 And painting, in our culture, has the unassailable fixity of a monument. Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2020 Notley’s work seems to suggest that correctives to the old narratives are possible but also that real fixity is always out of reach. David Wallace, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2020 Typographical fixity preserves, and gives a certain permanence to, written thought. Jeet Heer, New Republic, 23 Sep. 2017 To that degree, the fixity of political structures may seem like a vice. James Poulos, Orange County Register, 18 Feb. 2017 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fixity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin fīxitāt-, fīxitās, from Latin fīxus "firmly established, unchangeable" + -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

1666, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fixity was in 1666

Cite this Entry

“Fixity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fixity. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

fixity

noun
fix·​i·​ty ˈfik-sət-ē How to pronounce fixity (audio)
plural fixities
1
: the quality or state of being fixed
2
: something that is fixed
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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


Love It or Hate It

  • heart-fire
  • When asked about her blind date, Carol spoke for hours with vitriol.
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY