fixative
fixative Lexical Profile
fixative Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A liquid sprayed over drawings, pastels, or charcoal sketches to prevent smudging and preserve the artwork.
"She sprayed a light coat of fixative over her charcoal portrait to keep the dark dust from smearing."
A chemical substance used in biology and histology to preserve tissue specimens and maintain their cellular structure.
"Formaldehyde is widely used as a chemical fixative to prepare biological tissues for microscopic examination."
A substance added to perfumes, dyes, or cosmetics to reduce evaporation and make the scent or color last longer.
"Sandalwood oil acts as a natural fixative that helps the lighter floral notes in the perfume linger for hours."
• adjective
Serving or tending to fix, stabilize, or make something permanent, such as a dye, chemical, or biological specimen.
"The laboratory technician immersed the tissue sample in a fixative solution before slicing it for the microscope."
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French fixatif, derived from Medieval Latin fixativus, from the Latin past participle stem fixus meaning 'fastened' or 'settled'.