transfix

English

Etymology 1

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle French transfixer

Pronunciation

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Verb

1. (transitive) To render motionless, by arousing terror, amazement or awe.
   • 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess‎^[1]:

     He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him […] of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood. They dated from the previous century and were coarsely printed on tinted paper, with tinsel outlining the design.

   • 1973, Norman Mailer, Marilyn: A Biography - p. 45.

     But we may as well accept her story as true, for it is likely she would have been transfixed by the narcissism of the weight lifters.

2. (transitive) To pierce with a sharp pointed weapon.
   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 52

     There was a little stream that ran not far away, in which he bathed, and down this on occasion would come a shoal of fish. Then the natives would assemble with spears, and with much shouting would transfix the great startled things as they hurried down to the sea.

3. (transitive) To fix or impale.

Related terms

• transfixation
• transfixion
• transfixture

Translations

to render motionless, by arousing terror, amazement or awe

• Armenian: գամել (hy) (gamel)
• Greek: καθηλώνω (el) (kathilóno)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Swedish: paralysera (sv), lamslå (sv)

to pierce with a sharp pointed weapon

• Finnish: lävistää (fi)
• Greek: διατρυπώ (el) (diatrypó)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: transfīgō
• Russian: пронза́ть (ru) n or impf (pronzátʹ)

to fix or impale

• Finnish: lävistää (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: ανασκολοπίζω (el) (anaskolopízo), καρφώνω (el) (karfóno)

Etymology 2

Noun

transfix (plural transfixes)

1. (linguistics) A discontinuous affix, which occurs at more than one position in a word, typical of Semitic languages.