fixum

Fixum is a term encountered in a small number of scholarly and speculative writings as a label for something considered fixed, stable, or unchanging. The word is derived from Latin fixus, meaning fixed or fastened. There is no single, widely accepted definition of fixum, and its precise meaning depends on context.

In philosophy and linguistics, fixum has been used informally to denote a fixed referent or anchor within a discourse—an imagined baseline against which changing descriptions or indexicals are measured. In this sense, fixum serves as a conceptual placeholder for stability amid variation.

In mathematical and theoretical computer science discussions, fixum is sometimes employed as an informal label for a fixed element or a fixed point within a model, rather than as a standard technical term. Its usage presumes a notion of invariance under certain operations.

Because fixum is not standardized, references to the term should specify the intended sense. When encountered, readers should check the source for the intended meaning, and distinguish it from established terms such as fixed point, fixed reference, or anchor.