fixative

[ fik-suh-tiv ]

adjective
  1. serving to fix; making fixed or permanent.

nounAlso fix·a·tif [fik-suh-tiv, -teef]. /ˈfɪk sə tɪv, -ˌtif/.
  1. a fixative substance, as a gummy liquid sprayed on a drawing to prevent blurring, or a solution for killing, hardening, and preserving material for microscopic study.

  2. Also called fixer. Photography. a chemical substance, as sodium thiosulfate, used to promote fixation.

  1. a substance that retards evaporation, as in the manufacture of perfume.

Origin of fixative

1
First recorded in 1635–45; fix + -ative

Other words from fixative

  • un·fix·a·tive, adjective

Words Nearby fixative

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fixative in a sentence

  • Baldwin brought a bottle of fixative and sprayed the drawing through a blowpipe.

    Ewing\'s Lady | Harry Leon Wilson

British Dictionary definitions for fixative

fixative

/ (ˈfɪksətɪv) /


adjective
  1. serving or tending to fix

noun
  1. a fluid usually consisting of a transparent resin, such as shellac, dissolved in alcohol and sprayed over drawings to prevent smudging

  2. cytology a fluid, such as formaldehyde or ethanol, that fixes tissues and cells for microscopic study

  1. a substance added to a liquid, such as a perfume, to make it less volatile

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