interfix

Etymology

inter- + fix

noun

1. (linguistic morphology) An empty morph (meaningless morph) inserted between two morphemes in the process of word formation, such as English -i- and -o-.
   An empty morph is an interfix if it fulfills all of the following three conditions (Dressier, 1985f). 2004, Francis Katamba, Morphology: Critical Concepts in Linguistics, page 187
2. (linguistic morphology) A transfix.
3. (computing, information retrieval, dated) An association link, a device to group multiple words or concepts.
   LOCANT, n. A number used in the Dyson cipher system for coding the position of substituents of carbon chain, i.e. an interfix. 1959, Frank S. Wagner, Jr., A Dictionary of Documentation Terms, page 19

verb

1. (engineering, transitive) To attach or anchor (two or more parts) together.
   Generally speaking the article is formed of two pieces which are interfixed for providing a pair of spring urged jaws... 1932, Elmer G. Koch, "Collar Fastener", United States Patent 1915250 http://www.google.com/patents?id=tpZPAAAAEBAJ, page 2
2. (linguistic morphology, transitive) To insert (an interfix) between two morphemes.
   Our goal in the construction of this task was to isolate and highlight the relationship between the interfixed and free forms of the initial constituent. 2001, Wolfgang U. Dressler et al., “The Processing of interfixed German compounds”, in Yearbook of Morphology 1999, page 185