Definition of "refined"

simple past and past participle of refine  examples

Precise, freed from imprecision, particularly:

1. (of people, obsolete) Sagacious, sometimes (derogatory) oversubtle or feigning sagacity.

2. (of thought) Subtle, scrupulous, carefully thought out.  examples

3. (of processes) Developed, improved.  examples

Cultured, freed from vulgarity, particularly:

1. (of language) Elevated and polished.  examples

2. (of people) Elegant, sometimes (derogatory) affected, prissy, or bloodless.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • "Jesus Christ! Was my folks refined. My mam she wouldn't think-a lettin' us young'uns call a pee pot a pee pot. A chamber's what she called it... And by God! Us young'uns had ter call the pee pot a chamber or git our God damn necks wrang."

     1946, Elizabeth Metzger Howard, Before the Sun Goes Down, page 31

Purified, reduced in or freed from impurities, particularly:

1. (of products) Highly-processed and pure.  examples

2. (of metal) Free of dross or alloy.  examples

3. (of people, obsolete) Morally pure.

(of a market) Dealing in a refined product such as sugar or petroleum.  examples

(finance) The refined form of a commodity, as opposed to its raw or generic form.  examples