fixture

fixture — noun

1. An item of furniture or equipment that is physically fastened to a building — fo

1.nounB2
Definition

An item of furniture or equipment that is physically fastened to a building — for instance, a built-in bathtub, a boiler, or a fitted cupboard — and is normally sold together with the property when the owner moves out.

Example

The rental agreement says all kitchen fixtures, including the oven and dishwasher, stay with the apartment.

collocation: kitchen fixtures

When the Watanabe family bought the house, the previous owners took the light fixtures but left the bathtub.

collocation: light fixtures

Common collocations
  • light fixture
  • plumbing fixture
  • kitchen fixture
  • bathroom fixture
  • electrical fixture
  • built-in fixture
  • permanent fixture
Synonyms
  • fitting

    often a removable item, whereas a fixture is fixed; but the two overlap in property contexts

  • installation

    a broader term covering any unit placed for use, including fixtures

  • appliance

    a functional machine (e.g., washing machine); may be a fixture if built-in

Grammar Patterns

fixture + of [building/room]

fixtures and fittings

Usage Note

In British property law and contracts, 'fixtures and fittings' is a standard paired expression. Fixtures are items fixed to the building (e.g., a fitted kitchen), while fittings are removable (e.g., a freestanding lamp). The distinction matters when buying or selling a home.

Common Mistakes

The previous tenants took all the fixtures, including the sofa and the curtains.
The previous tenants took all the fittings, including the sofa and the curtains.
Sofas and curtains are fittings (removable), not fixtures (fixed to the building).

2. An officially scheduled sports match that forms part of a league or tournament p

2.nounB2
Definition

An officially scheduled sports match that forms part of a league or tournament programme, with a fixed date, time, and location.

Example

The team's next fixture is against last year's champions at the national stadium.

fixture + against [opponent]

Fans eagerly check the football fixture list months in advance to plan their travel.

collocation: fixture list

Common collocations
  • home fixture
  • away fixture
  • league fixture
  • cup fixture
  • football fixture
  • rugby fixture
  • fixture list
  • fixture congestion
Synonyms
  • match

    interchangeable in sports, but 'match' does not emphasise the scheduled, official nature

  • game

    more common in American English; less formal than 'fixture'

  • contest

    a broader term for any competitive event

Grammar Patterns

fixture + between [teams]

fixture + against [opponent]

fixture + on [date]

Usage Note

Chiefly used in British English. In American English, 'game' or 'match' is preferred for individual events, though 'fixture' still appears in formal scheduling (e.g., 'fixture list'). Commonly modified by 'home', 'away', 'league', or 'cup'.

Common Mistakes

The business conference is a fixture on the third Thursday of every month.
The business conference is scheduled for the third Thursday of every month.
Outside sports, 'fixture' for a scheduled event sounds odd or overly British; use 'scheduled event' instead.

3. Someone or something so closely associated with a particular place or group that

3.nounC1
Definition

Someone or something so closely associated with a particular place or group that their regular presence is expected and treated as part of the scenery — for instance, a retiree who reads at the same library table every afternoon, or a landmark that has stood in a square for many years.

Example

After thirty years at the same café, old Tomás had become a fixture of the neighbourhood.

become a fixture + of [place]

The elderly woman with the red hat is a regular fixture at every community board meeting.

collocation: regular fixture

Common collocations
  • become a fixture
  • a regular fixture
  • a permanent fixture
  • a familiar fixture
  • fixture at [venue]
  • fixture in [community/group]
Synonyms
  • regular

    less metaphorical; describes someone who visits often but not necessarily as a permanent feature

  • staple

    emphasises that something is a core, essential part of a setting

  • institution

    a person or thing so established that they are considered integral; more formal and grander

Antonyms
  • newcomer

    someone who has recently arrived and is not yet familiar in a setting

  • stranger

    someone unknown or unrecognised in a particular place

Grammar Patterns

become a fixture + in/at/on [place/group]

be a fixture + of [environment]

Usage Note

Commonly follows the verb 'become' (become a fixture). The collocation 'regular fixture' emphasises frequency of presence. Unlike senses 1 and 2, this sense is figurative and can apply to people, animals, objects, or even recurring events.

Common Mistakes

My cousin is a fixture at the gym — she goes once a month.
My cousin is a fixture at the gym
she goes every morning before work.' — Being a fixture implies very frequent, almost constant presence, not occasional visits.

Word family

  • fix
    verbA2
  • fixed
    adjectiveB1
  • fixing
    nounB2
  • fixation
    nounC1
  • fittings
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe objects placed in a building, but they differ in how permanently they are attached. A 'fixture' is physically fixed — you cannot remove it without tools or damage (e.g., a built-in bath or boiler). A 'fitting' can usually be unfastened or unplugged (e.g., a lampshade or curtain rail). An 'appliance' is a functional device that may be built-in (a dishwasher) or freestanding (a refrigerator); the word focuses on what the device does rather than how it is attached. 'Installation' is the broadest term, covering the act of putting something in place and the resulting setup — a newly installed security system is an installation, regardless of whether every part is strictly a fixture or a fitting. In everyday conversation, a homeowner might say 'the fixtures were included in the price of the house' but 'I can take my appliances with me.'

fitting ↗appliance ↗installation ↗unit ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • permanent fixture
  • become a fixture
  • fixtures and fittings

Prepositions

  • fixture of
  • fixture in
  • fixture at
  • fixture on

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'fixture' entered English in the early 1600s, formed from the verb 'fix' (from Latin 'fixus', the past participle of 'figere' meaning 'to fasten or attach') and the suffix '-ture', which turns a verb into a noun naming a result or state. The original meaning was simply 'the act of fixing'. By the 18th century, it had come to refer to things that are fixed in place, especially in legal descriptions of property. The sports sense appeared in the 19th century, and the figurative use for a familiar person or thing developed in the early 20th century.