· a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality; "they performed with great polish"; "I admired the exquisite refinement of his prose"; "almost an inspiration which gives to all work that finish which is almost art"--Joseph Conrad

Synonym(s): polish, culture, cultivation, finish

Hypernym(s): perfection, flawlessness, ne_plus_ultra

· the result of improving something; "he described a refinement of this technique"

Synonym(s): elaboration

Hypernym(s): improvement, betterment, advance

· the process of removing impurities (as from oil or metals or sugar etc.)

Synonym(s): refining, purification

Hypernym(s): processing

· a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude; "without understanding the finer nuances you can't enjoy the humor"; "don't argue about shades of meaning"

Synonym(s): nuance, nicety, shade, subtlety

Hypernym(s): meaning, significance, signification, import

· the quality of excellence in thought and manners and taste; "a man of intellectual refinement"; "he is remembered for his generosity and civilization"

Synonym(s): civilization, civilisation

Hypernym(s): excellence