Skip to main content
hypo

hypo

1 9.9
A chemical used to make developed photos permanent
  • noun
  • /ˈhaɪpoʊ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : hipo
  • In traditional photography, hypo is essential for making the images stable and light-resistant after development.

Examples

  • The photographer used a solution of sodium thiosulfate, commonly known as hypo, to fix the developed photos.

  • I'm a sales rep for a large specialty chemical company that for years has sold Cal Hypo in both solid pucks and granular form for pool sanitizing.

    Blog text (29)
  • The fixing may be done in AMFIX or in a fixer with crystal hypo and pot metabisulphite.

    Academic text (1995)
  • To ensure the photographic prints last longer, they were treated with hypo after being developed.

Synonyms

thiosulfate
vshypo
  • Specialized
1 8.0

A chemical used to fix photos and in some lab tests

is a particular chemical used as a fixer rather than the broader compound class
sodium thiosulfate
vshypo
  • Specialized
7.2

A white salt that dissolves in water and is used to fix photos and treat cyanide poisoning

is a general processing name for that chemical rather than the technical term

Compounds

hypo-eutectoid steel
  • Specialized
8.9

A type of steel with less than 0.9% carbon that has both softer and harder parts

Surface Forms

hypo singular
hypos plural

Etymology

Hypo for the photographic fixer comes from an old chemical name, shortened from hyposulphite, so early photographers simply called the fixing solution 'hypo' and the name stuck for the liquid that makes images permanent.