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Refinery: meaning, definitions and examples

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refinery

 

[ rɪˈfaɪnəri ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

industrial process

A refinery is an industrial facility where raw materials, such as crude oil or metal ores, are processed and transformed into useful products. In oil refining, crude oil is converted into fuels like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, as well as other chemical products. The process involves separation, conversion, and treatment of the raw material.

Synonyms

manufacturing facility, processing plant

Examples of usage

  • The refinery produces high-quality gasoline.
  • They are expanding their oil refinery to increase capacity.
  • The refinery processes thousands of barrels of crude oil daily.

Translations

Translations of the word "refinery" in other languages:

🇵🇹 refinaria

🇮🇳 शोधनालय

🇩🇪 Raffinerie

🇮🇩 kilang

🇺🇦 переробний завод

🇵🇱 rafineria

🇯🇵 精製所

🇫🇷 raffinerie

🇪🇸 refinería

🇹🇷 rafineri

🇰🇷 정제소

🇸🇦 مصفاة

🇨🇿 rafinerie

🇸🇰 rafinéria

🇨🇳 炼油厂

🇸🇮 rafinerija

🇮🇸 hreinsunarverksmiðja

🇰🇿 мұнай өңдеу зауыты

🇬🇪 გადამამწევი ქარხანა

🇦🇿 təkmilləşdirmə zavodu

🇲🇽 refinería

Word origin

The term 'refinery' originates from the Middle English word 'refinen', which comes from the Old French 'raffiner', meaning 'to purify'. The roots can be traced back to the Latin word 'refinire', where 're-' means 'again' and 'finire' means 'to finish' or 'to bring to an end'. Initially, this term was used in the context of purifying substances like sugar or metals. As industrial processes advanced during the 19th century, the word expanded to include the large-scale processing of crude oil and other raw materials. The surge in oil production following the discovery of oil fields and advancements in refining techniques solidified the refinery's role in modern industry. Today, refineries play a crucial role in the economic infrastructure, transforming raw resources into vital energy sources and byproducts utilized in countless applications.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,200, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.