fixture

noun

fix·​ture ˈfiks-chər 

1

: the act or process of fixing : the state of being fixed

2

a

: something that is fixed or attached (as to a building) as a permanent appendage or as a structural part

a plumbing fixture

b

: a device for supporting work during machining

c

: an item of movable property so incorporated into real property that it may be regarded as legally a part of it

3

: a familiar or invariably present element or feature in some particular setting

especially : a person long associated with a place or activity

4

: a settled date or time especially for a sporting or festive event

also : such an event especially as a regularly scheduled affair

Synonyms

• institution
• icon

Examples of fixture in a Sentence

He's been a fixture in the parade for many years.

She hopes the new educational program will become a permanent fixture at the zoo.

Recent Examples on the Web

Athenians have been legume lovers since antiquity, and beans and pulses remain a fixture on meze menus the city over as a healthier, more affordable alternative to meat. —Katherine Whittaker, Saveur, 9 Oct. 2025

But Gibbs is the real star of the show — a Belle of Louisville fixture since 2005. —Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025

Below, The Athletic walks you through some of the key talking points from the first two nights of fixtures. —Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025

Today, many of those labels remain a fixture on the Paris Fashion Week schedule — and continue to fly the flag for originality and independent thinking. —Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier fixure (probably after mixture), going back to Middle English, "point of attachment," borrowed from Late Latin fīxūra "action of fixing, place where a nail is fixed," from Latin fīxus, past participle of fīgere "to drive in, insert, fasten" + -ūra -ure — more at fix entry 1

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fixture

• plumbing fixture

Rhymes for fixture

• mixture
• admixture
• intermixture

Kids Definition

fixture

noun

fix·​ture ˈfiks-chər 

1

: the act of fixing : the state of being fixed

2

: something attached as a permanent part

bathroom fixtures

3

: one firmly established in a place

Legal Definition

fixture

noun

fix·​ture

: an item of movable property so incorporated into a real property that it may be regarded as legally a part of it