Meanings
nounrefinement (countable and uncountable, plural refinements)
plural refinements
- countableuncountableThe act, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- countableuncountableHigh-class style; cultivation.
- countableuncountableA fine or subtle distinction.
- countableuncountableA luxury.
There was no bathroom in the cabin. Such refinements don't exist in the woods, apparently.
1974 February 2, Nancy Walker, “Call of the Wild”, in Gay Community News, volume 1, number 32, page 11
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of grooming (“review and prioritization process”).
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More synonyms by meaning
nouna highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality
nounthe process of removing impurities (as from oil or metals or sugar etc.)
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Broader
nouna subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
nounthe quality of excellence in thought and manners and taste
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Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Italic*wre-
- Latinre-
- Old Frenchre-
- Middle Englishre-
- Englishre-
- Englishfine
- Englishrefine
- Englishrefinement
Translations
Arabic تَكْرِير
- تَكْرِير (takrīr)act, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
Bulgarian пречистване, рафиниране
- пречистване (prečistvane)act, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- рафиниране (rafinirane)act, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- финес (fines)high-class style; cultivation
Czech rafinace
- rafinaceact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
Danish raffinement, raffinement
- raffinementhigh-class style; cultivation
- raffinementfine or subtle distinction
Dutch zuivering, verfijning
- zuiveringact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- verfijningfine or subtle distinction
Finnish jalostus, puhdistus
- jalostusact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- puhdistusact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- jalostaminenact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- puhdistaminenact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- hienostuneisuushigh-class style; cultivation
- hienokäytöksisyyshigh-class style; cultivation
- sivistyneisyyshigh-class style; cultivation
French raffinement
- raffinementhigh-class style; cultivation
German Verbesserung, Veredelung
- Verbesserungact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- Veredelungact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- Veredelnhigh-class style; cultivation
- Veredelunghigh-class style; cultivation
Hindi शोधन, प्रसंस्करण
- शोधन (śodhan)act, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- प्रसंस्करण (prasanskaraṇ)act, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
Hungarian kifinomultság
- kifinomultsághigh-class style; cultivation
Japanese みやび, みやび
- みやび (miyabi)act, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- みやび (miyabi)high-class style; cultivation
Latin urbānitās
- urbānitāshigh-class style; cultivation
Polish elegancja
- elegancjahigh-class style; cultivation
Portuguese refino, refino
- refinoact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- refinohigh-class style; cultivation
- refinamentohigh-class style; cultivation
- finezahigh-class style; cultivation
- finurahigh-class style; cultivation
- requintehigh-class style; cultivation
- finessehigh-class style; cultivation
- refinofine or subtle distinction
Romanian rafinare, rafinaj
- rafinareact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- rafinajact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- rafinamenthigh-class style; cultivation
- finețehigh-class style; cultivation
- delicatețehigh-class style; cultivation
Spanish refinación, refinamiento
- refinaciónact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- refinamientohigh-class style; cultivation
Swedish förfining, förfining
- förfiningact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- förfininghigh-class style; cultivation
- raffinemanghigh-class style; cultivation
- förfiningfine or subtle distinction
- raffinemangfine or subtle distinction
Turkish arıtma, arıtım
- arıtmaact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- arıtımact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- düzeltmeact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- tasfiyeact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- temizlemeact, or the result of refining; the removal of impurities, or a purified material
- arıtmahigh-class style; cultivation
- arıtımhigh-class style; cultivation
- selikahigh-class style; cultivation
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with refinement
assignmentconfinementconsignmentrealignmentmisalignmentenshrinementdeconfinemententwinementmalignmentmisassignmentunrefinement
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
refinement. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/refinement
MLA
“refinement.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/refinement. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “refinement,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/refinement.
Source: refinement on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.