Fittings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Components that are used to connect or adapt pipes, ducts, or other equipment; items specifically designed to enhance the functionality and assembly of furniture; accessories or embellishments that add aesthetic or practical value to clothing or textiles
2. Elements utilized in various systems for joining or altering connections, including plumbing or electrical setups; fixtures intended to support the utility and design of home furnishings; decorative or useful additions that improve or modify apparel and fabrics
3. Parts integrated into constructions or installations to facilitate connections and transitions; modifications crafted to optimize the use and appearance of furniture; ornamental or functional pieces that enhance the overall quality of garments and fabrics

Etymology: The plural "fittings" is the form of "fitting," and the noun is simply "fit" with the suffix "-ing" added. That suffix, which turns a verb into a noun naming an action or its result, has been attached to "fit" in two separate ways, and the two lines of meaning are worth keeping apart. In the first, "fit" meant to be suitable for something or to match its shape and size, so a "fitting" was the act of making things conform, and later the thing that resulted: a part that makes one object suit another. The second line comes from an older, entirely different "fit," meaning a convulsion or seizure. That sense has nothing to do with suitability, yet it produced its own "fitting" as a noun for the act of having a fit. The two words converged in form and were never really the same thing. The modern sense of plumbing, electrical and household hardware belongs to the first line, since these are parts that fit into a system. The decorative sense for clothing and fabric trims draws on the same idea of pieces added to suit or complete a garment, and in that use the plural is the common form.

Synonyms: attachments, accessories, hardware, components