to fasten or fix by piercing or thrusting in
2
: to impress firmly in the consciousness or disposition
3
: to insert (a sound or letter) as an infix
infixation
ˌin-(ˌ)fik-ˈsā-shən
noun
infix
2 of 3
noun
in·fix ˈin-ˌfiks
: a derivational or inflectional affix appearing in the body of a word (such as Sanskrit -n- in vindami "I know" as contrasted with vid "to know")
infix
3 of 3
adjective
in·fix ˈin-ˌfiks
: characterized by placement of a binary operator between the operands
a + b is expressed in infix notation
compare POSTFIX, PREFIX
Did you know?
What is an infix?
Like prefixes and suffixes, infixes are part of the general class of affixes ("sounds or letters attached to or inserted within a word to produce a derivative word or an inflectional form"). Infixes are relatively rare in English, but you can find them in the plural forms of some words. For example, cupful, spoonful, and passerby can be pluralized as cupsful, spoonsful, and passersby, using "s" as an infix. Another example is the insertion of an (often offensive) intensifier into a word, as in "fan-freakin'-tastic." Such whole-word insertions are sometimes called infixes, though this phenomenon is more traditionally known as tmesis.
Synonyms
Verb
brand
engrave
etch
impress
imprint
ingrain
engrain
Choose the Right Synonym for infix
IMPLANT, INCULCATE, INSTILL, INSEMINATE, INFIX mean to introduce into the mind.
IMPLANT implies teaching that makes for permanence of what is taught.
implanted a love of reading in her students
INCULCATE implies persistent or repeated efforts to impress on the mind.
tried to inculcate in him high moral standards
INSTILL stresses gradual, gentle imparting of knowledge over a long period of time.
instill traditional values in your children
INSEMINATE applies to a sowing of ideas in many minds so that they spread through a class or nation.
inseminated an unquestioning faith in technology
INFIX stresses firmly inculcating a habit of thought.
infixed a chronic cynicism
Examples of infix in a Sentence
Verb
a puzzling detail that had been infixed in the detective's mind for over a decade
a football coach celebrated for infixing in his players an all-consuming will to win
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More
Noun
The path of the infix is uncertain, but linguist Joshua Viau has found similar examples in 1960s radio broadcasts and early 1970s drug slang.
—Mark Peters, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Mar. 2018
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Latin infixus, past participle of infigere, from in- + figere to fasten — more at FIX
First Known Use
Verb
1502, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1881, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1971, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of infix was in 1502
See more words from the same year
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“Infix.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infix. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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More from Merriam-Webster on infix
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about infix
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