transfix
verb, noun
transfix is spelled T-R-A-N-S-F-I-X: 8 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 36 million words in written English, the 184,844th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, transfix means “To render motionless, by arousing terror, amazement or awe” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in transfix?
| Letters | 8: T-R-A-N-S-F-I-X |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 36 million words; the 184,844th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is transfix?
Transfix appears about once in every 36 million words in written English, the 184,844th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce transfix?
- US
Transfix has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-transfix.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of transfix
- transfixes present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- transfixing participle, present
- transfixed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does transfix mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To render motionless, by arousing terror, amazement or awe.
- 2
To pierce with a sharp pointed weapon.
- 3
To fix or impale.
noun
- 1
A discontinuous affix, typical of Afro-Asiatic languages, which occurs at more than one position in a word, i.e. a combination of prefixes, infixes and/or suffixes.
The Arabic word مكتوب (maktūb, “written”) is built from the root [script needed] (k–t–b, “writing”) and the transfix [script needed] (ma––ū–, “passive participle”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Transfix in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | méduser , transfixe |
| German | verblüffen, in Erstaunen versetzen, in Ehrfurcht versetzen, erstaunen, verwundern, Ehrfurcht einflößen |
| Spanish | transfijar , transfijo |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does transfix come from?
From Middle French transfixer, from Old French transfixer, from Latin transfigō (“to pierce through”), from trans- (“through”) + figō (“to pierce”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).