refined

American  

[ri-fahynd] / rɪˈfaɪnd /

adjective

1. having or showing well-bred feeling, taste, etc..

   refined people.

   Synonyms:

   elegant, genteel, courtly, civilized, courteous, polite, polished, cultivated

   Antonyms:

   crude, coarse, rude

2. freed or free from coarseness, vulgarity, etc..

   refined taste.

3. freed from impurities.

   refined sugar.

   Synonyms:

   distilled

4. very subtle, precise, or exact.

   refined distinctions.

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refined British  

/ rɪˈfaɪnd /

adjective

1. not coarse or vulgar; genteel, elegant, or polite

2. subtle; discriminating

3. freed from impurities; purified

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Other Word Forms

• half-refined adjective
• nonrefined adjective
• quasi-refined adjective
• refinedly adverb
• refinedness noun
• semirefined adjective
• superrefined adjective
• ultrarefined adjective
• well-refined adjective

Etymology

Origin of refined

First recorded in 1565–75; refine + -ed ²

Example Sentences

The White House is set to make a decision on whether to levy duties on refined copper later this year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Those models are by no means perfect—and they’re constantly getting refined and recalibrated.

From Barron's

Those models are by no means perfect—and they’re constantly getting refined and recalibrated.

From Barron's

By applying multiple fossil based time points, they refined their estimates for when the enzyme evolved.

From Science Daily

In contrast, versions built around refined carbohydrates and animal products were associated with higher CHD risk and less favorable metabolic health markers.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• classy
• cultivated
• delicate
• discriminating
• elegant
• genteel
• polished
• precise
• sophisticated
• subtle
• tasteful
• urbane