refinement
Americannoun
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fineness or elegance of feeling, taste, manners, language, etc.
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the act or process of refining.
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a subtle point or distinction.
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subtle reasoning.
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an improved, higher, or extreme form of something.
a refinement of the old system.
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Mathematics. a set whose elements include the elements of a given set.
noun
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the act of refining or the state of being refined
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a fine or delicate point, distinction, or expression; a subtlety
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fineness or precision of thought, expression, manners, etc; polish or cultivation
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a device, change, adaptation, etc, designed to improve performance or increase efficiency
Other Word Forms
- nonrefinement noun
- prerefinement noun
- self-refinement noun
- superrefinement noun
Etymology
Origin of refinement
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The OPA1 inhibitors, created by collaborators at the University of Padua in Italy, are still lead compounds and will require further refinement before clinical testing can begin.
From Science Daily
After years of refinement, the most promising strain was chosen, and "Muscat Shiragai" was officially established as a new variety in 2024.
From Science Daily
For Hunter, progress at the Toronto meeting would include concrete action on the issue of traceability -- tracking raw materials from mining to refinement and ensuring suppliers follow global market rules.
From Barron's
A century or so later, as Mr. Roeck details, the Song dynasty flourished in China, supporting exquisite refinements in poetry and dress and stunning advances in commercial and industrial technology.
By investing in joint extraction and refinement initiatives in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Washington could help the region build local processing capacity and ship refined materials westward through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
