refinement

[ ri-fahyn-muh nt ]

/ rɪˈfaɪn mənt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR refinement ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

fineness or elegance of feeling, taste, manners, language, etc.

an instance of refined feeling, manners, etc.

the act or process of refining.

the quality or state of being refined.

a subtle point or distinction.

subtle reasoning.

an improved, higher, or extreme form of something: a refinement of the old system.

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

Origin of refinement

First recorded in 1605–15; refine + -ment

OTHER WORDS FROM refinement

non·re·fine·ment, noun pre·re·fine·ment, noun self-re·fine·ment, noun su·per·re·fine·ment, noun

Words nearby refinement

refill, refinance, refinancing, refine, refined, refinement, refiner, refinery, refinish, refit, refl.

Example sentences from the Web for refinement

Back in the USA, returning veterans found that the middle class had adopted the piano as a sign of refinement.

Van Dyke Parks on How Songwriters Are Getting Screwed in the Digital Age |Van Dyke Parks |June 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
This was the world of Gustave H. our narrator assumes, one of refinement, poise, and impeccable service.

Wes Anderson’s Austrian Muse: Stefan Zweig |Lucy Scholes |February 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
They are the epitome of old-school rationality and refinement—or at least they were until now.

The Royal Academy Wants You to Finish This Artwork |Chloë Ashby |January 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
In this instance, the Ngram data offer a refinement, not a revelation.

Why Big Data Doesn’t Live up to the Hype |Nick Romeo |January 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

The bride, Kamala, was exquisitely beautiful, but possessed none of the refinement prized by her in-laws.

Hold Onto Your Penis |David Frum, Justin Green |November 29, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
It smacked of the gold city which knows little enough of refinement amongst even its best classes.

The Triumph of John Kars |Ridgwell Cullum
Men of refinement and high culture adopted it rather as an article of scholarly adornment.

A Cursory History of Swearing |Julian Sharman
All the habits which tend to express the human spirit bring about a refinement of the body.

Child and Country |Will Levington Comfort
Surely there is as great a want of refinement among us, in this respect, as among the natives of New Zealand.

Punch, or the London Charivari. Vol. 1, July 31, 1841 |Various
In the saloon probably two score others applied themselves, with more diligence than refinement, to their food.

The Hidden Places |Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for refinement

refinement

/ (rɪˈfaɪnmənt) /

noun

the act of refining or the state of being refined

a fine or delicate point, distinction, or expression; a subtlety

fineness or precision of thought, expression, manners, etc; polish or cultivation

a device, change, adaptation, etc, designed to improve performance or increase efficiency

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

refinement

noun

Origin of refinement

OTHER WORDS FROM refinement

Words nearby refinement

Example sentences from the Web for refinement

British Dictionary definitions for refinement

noun

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

refinement

noun

Origin of refinement

OTHER WORDS FROM refinement

Words nearby refinement

Words related to refinement

Example sentences from the Web for refinement

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noun

British Dictionary definitions for refinement