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 Word Forms

• nonrefinement noun
• prerefinement noun
• self-refinement noun
• superrefinement noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of refinement¹

First recorded in 1605–15; refine + -ment

Example Sentences

The method requires significant refinement - which could take a decade - before a fertility clinic could even consider using it.

Read more on BBC

Carter Chapman, Kemp’s spokesperson, said Monday that the Kemp administration remains committed to Pathways and making refinements to meet the health care needs of Georgians.

Read more on Salon

However, they are not ready for clinical trials and the drugs will require refinement – estimated to take another one to two year's work – before the long process of testing them in people could begin.

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While it’s bigger, stronger, better feeling, higher-res and comes with a couple new tricks, overall it’s primarily a refinement of the original Switch’s ideas.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Encouragement came from the government, followed by local experimentation, the gaining of experience, the refinement of regulations and eventually allowing a broad implementation."

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Related Words

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