refinement

UK: /rɪˈfaɪnmənt/ US: /rɪˈfaɪnmənt/ ,(ri fīn′mənt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•fine•ment /rɪˈfaɪnmənt/   n. 

1. [uncountable] fineness or elegance of feeling, taste, manners, language, etc.
2. the act or process of refining;
   the quality or state of being refined:
   [uncountable] the refinement of oil.
3. an improved form of something:
   [countable] The new theory is a refinement of an earlier one.
4. [countable] a detail or device added to improve something.

See -fin-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•fine•ment  (ri fīn′mənt), n. 

1. fineness or elegance of feeling, taste, manners, language, etc.
2. an instance of refined feeling, manners, etc.
3. the act or process of refining.
4. the quality or state of being 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.

• refine + -ment 1605–15

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

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