transfix

Etymology 1

From Middle French transfixer, from Old French transfixer, from Latin transfigō (“to pierce through”), from trans- (“through”) + figō (“to pierce”).

verb

1. (transitive) To render motionless, by arousing terror, amazement or awe.
   He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him […] of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood. They dated from the previous century and were coarsely printed on tinted paper, with tinsel outlining the design. 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess
   But we may as well accept her story as true, for it is likely she would have been transfixed by the narcissism of the weight lifters. 1973, Norman Mailer, Marilyn: A Biography, page 45
2. (transitive) To pierce with a sharp pointed weapon.
3. (transitive) To fix or impale.

Etymology 2

noun

1. (linguistics) A discontinuous affix, which occurs at more than one position in a word, typical of Semitic languages.