infix

American  

[in-fiks, in-fiks, in-fiks] / ɪnˈfɪks, ˈɪnˌfɪks, ˈɪnˌfɪks /

noun

1. Grammar. a morpheme or an entire word that is inserted within the body of another word or element, as Latin m in accumbō “I lie down,” as compared with accubuī “I lay down.”

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verb (used with object)

infixes, present (3rd person singular) infixed, past participle, past infixing present participle

1. to fix, fasten, or drive in.

   He infixed the fatal spear.

2. to instill (a fact, idea, etc.) in the mind or memory; impress.

   Your childhood trauma infixed these specific fears in your mind.

   Synonyms:

   inculcate

3. Grammar. to add as an infix.

   The English language infixes only a small set of expletives and euphemisms, as in “fan-freakin-tastic” or “abso-bloody-lutely.”

verb (used without object)

infixes, present (3rd person singular) infixed, past participle, past infixing present participle

1. Grammar. (of a linguistic form) to admit an infix.

   Polysyllabic words in English infix just before the stressed syllable, as in “abso-frickin-LUTEly.”

adjective

1. Mathematics, Computers. of or relating to operator notation that occurs between the operands, such as the symbols for addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division when written in a linear equation.

   We are familiar with infix notation from elementary math class, and it can also be used in logic statements or computer programming languages.

infix British  

/ ɪnˈfɪkʃən /

verb

1. (tr) to fix firmly in

2. (tr) to instil or inculcate

3. grammar to insert (an affix) or (of an affix) to be inserted into the middle of a word

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noun

1. grammar an affix inserted into the middle of a word

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• infixation
  noun
• infixion
  noun
• uninfixed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• infixing
  present
• infixed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• infix
  simple
• infixes
  simple
• have infixed
  perfect
• has infixed
  perfect
• am infixing
  progressive
• are infixing
  progressive
• is infixing
  progressive
• have been infixing
  perfect progressive
• has been infixing
  perfect progressive

Past

• infixed
  simple
• had infixed
  perfect
• was infixing
  progressive
• were infixing
  progressive
• had been infixing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will infix
  simple
• will have infixed
  perfect
• will be infixing
  progressive
• will have been infixing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of infix

First recorded in 1495–1505; from Latin infīxus, past participle of infīgere “to fasten in”; see in- ², fix

Example Sentences

But CPL uses infix notation; I’d have to get all the operator precedence right to generate Lisp code with the parens in the right place.

From Scientific American • Aug. 23, 2011

It is more than to infuse, it is to infix it in such a manner as that it never may wear out.

From Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies by Sherbo, Arthur

An infix, muga, between the stem of the verb and the termination, gives a negative meaning, as, Ngubumugamangalu, we, dual exclusive, did not beat.

From The Wiradyuri and Other Languages of New South Wales by Mathews, R. H. (Robert Hamilton)

Consider that innumerable race of insects, which either are bred on the body of each animal, or, flying about, infix their stings in him.

From Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion by Hume, David

"Cornua obnixi infigunt," fix their horns, not on, but in; infix their horns; stick their horns into each other; stick each other with their horns: q.d.

From Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 109, November 29, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various