refinement

[ ri-fahyn-muhnt ]

noun

1. fineness or elegance of feeling, taste, manners, language, etc.
2. an instance of refined refined feeling, manners, etc.
3. the act or process of refining.
4. the quality or state of being refined. refined.
5. a subtle point or distinction.
6. subtle reasoning.
7. an improved, higher, or extreme form of something:

   a refinement of the old system.

8. Mathematics. a set whose elements include the elements of a given set.

refinement

/ rɪˈfaɪnmənt /

noun

1. the act of refining or the state of being refined
2. a fine or delicate point, distinction, or expression; a subtlety
3. fineness or precision of thought, expression, manners, etc; polish or cultivation
4. a device, change, adaptation, etc, designed to improve performance or increase efficiency

Other Words From

• nonre·finement noun
• prere·finement noun
• self-re·finement noun
• super·re·finement noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of refinement¹

First recorded in 1605–15; refine + -ment

Example Sentences

Deputy mayor Jiri Pospisil said he wanted the city to become a place where "refinement and respect for shared public space are a priority".

From BBC

“Pearls represent refinement and wisdom,” Glenda Glover, international president of AKA, told Vanity Fair in 2020.

From Slate

The pearls show refinement, yes.

From Slate

Cathy Vickers is head of innovation at the UK’s National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research, which is part of the scheme.

From BBC

Cathy Vickers is head of innovation at the UK’s National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research, which is part of the scheme.

From BBC

Related Words

• delicacy
• dignity
• elegance
• erudition
• finesse
• grace
• graciousness
• nicety
• nuance
• precision
• sophistication
• subtlety
• tact