1. a substance used to preserve or stabilize something
2. a chemical spray used to prevent smudging of drawings or paintings
Usage: art
3. a solution used to preserve biological specimens for microscopic examination
Usage: biology; medical

1. serving to fix or make permanent

Examples

• The artist sprayed fixative on her charcoal drawing to prevent smudging.
• The laboratory technician prepared tissue samples in fixative solution.
• Hair spray acts as a fixative to hold your hairstyle in place.
• The fixative properties of the chemical helped preserve the specimen.
• She applied fixative to her pastel artwork before framing it.
• The biologist used formaldehyde as a fixative for the tissue samples.