fixin

Fixin (also fixin’, fixin’s) is a term in American English with two primary senses. As a verb phrase, it is a contracted form of fixing and is most often found in the expression fixin’ to, meaning about to do something or intending to do something soon. It is strongly associated with the Southern United States and Appalachian English, though it is widely understood in broader American speech and writing due to media and migration. As a noun, fixins (or fixings) can refer to ingredients and accompaniments prepared for a meal, especially in informal Southern usage, such as toppings, sides, or condiments to accompany main dishes.

Etymology and form: fixin’ derives from the verb fix, in the sense of preparing or arranging. The phrase fixin’ to originated in 19th-century American English and became a stabilized colloquial form by dropping the final g. Spelling varies regionally and in print, including fixin’, fixin’s, fixin to, and fixin’ to.

Usage: In sentences, fixin’ to functions as an imminent-action marker: “I’m fixin’ to leave.” As a noun, fixins or fixings denotes the items prepared for a meal: “Bring out the fixins for the barbecue.” The term is informal and dialectal; in formal writing it is typically replaced with more standard phrasing such as about to or the ingredients.

See also: regional dialects of American English; colloquial contractions; culinary terminology for meal accompaniments.