This term is usually used to refer to the hardware needed for a lighting unit, but strictly speaking a fixture is a complete unit, including any required lamps, which is connected to electricity and ready for use. While a hardware store may sell a ceiling lamp as a light fixture, it is technically only a light fixture once it is connected to power and has all needed lamps installed. This precise definition is rarely used outside of specific industry applications, so the more common meaning is acceptable for most uses.

The term is also used in accounting to refer to any asset which is considered unmovable, or only movable at considerable cost or inconvenience. Under this definition, a range installed in a house or apartment, air conditioning and heating ducts and railings on stairs may all be considered fixtures, and in some contexts the building itself can be considered a fixture.

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