refinery

American  

[ri-fahy-nuh-ree] / rɪˈfaɪ nə ri /

noun

plural

refineries

1. an establishment for refining something, as metal, sugar, or petroleum.

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refinery British  

/ rɪˈfaɪnərɪ /

noun

1. a factory for the purification of some crude material, such as ore, sugar, oil, etc

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refinery Scientific  

/ rĭ-fī′nə-rē /

1. An industrial plant that uses mechanical and chemical means to purify a substance, such as petroleum or sugar, or to convert it to a form that is more useful.

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Etymology

Origin of refinery

First recorded in 1720–30; refine + -ery

Example Sentences

But he said Wesfarmers would like to get the refinery running properly before making a decision.

From The Wall Street Journal

His government said that the Slovnaft oil refinery would stop the export of diesel to Ukraine.

From The Wall Street Journal

The pairing offered a way to strike deep into Russian territory—targeting the country’s oil fields and refineries, shipping terminals and railways—and weaken its economy, people familiar with the matter said.

From The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. may be the world’s largest producer of oil but much of that output is light, low-sulfur crude that many domestic refineries aren’t optimized to efficiently process.

From MarketWatch

A fire at an oil refinery in Cuba has been brought under control quickly, as the country faces a deepening fuel crisis.

From BBC

Related Words

• refiner