A substance used to preserve, protect, or set something in place, like a spray that seals artwork or a solution that preserves biological samples.
From Latin 'fixus' plus the suffix '-ive' (having the quality of). Used in science since the 1600s for preservative chemicals.
Formaldehyde, the most famous fixative, became essential for medical science because it freezes tissues in time—literally stopping decay and allowing doctors to study anatomy, making modern medicine possible.
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