- referral (n.)
[referral 词源字典] - 1920, "act of referring," from refer + -al (2). Especially to an expert or specialist (a sense attested from 1955). Earlier word was referment (1550s).[referral etymology, referral origin, 英语词源]
- refill (v.)
- 1680s, from re- "back, again" + fill (v.). Related: Refilled; refilling.
- refill (n.)
- 1884, from refill (v.). Meaning "a second drink" is from 1929.
- refinance (v.)
- 1901, from re- "again" + finance (v.). Related: Refinanced; refinancing.
- refine (v.)
- 1580s, of metals, c. 1590 of manners, from re-, intensive prefix, + obsolete fine (v.) "make fine," from fine (adj.) "delicate." Compare French raffiner, Italian raffinare, Spanish refinar. General and figurative sense is recorded from 1590s; of sugar, from 1610s. Related: Refined; refining.
- refined (adj.)
- 1570s, "subtle;" 1580s, "elegant;" 1590s, "purified," past participle adjective from refine (v.).
- refinement (n.)
- 1610s, "act or process of refining; state of being pure," from refine + -ment. Meaning "fineness of feeling" is from 1708.
- refinery (n.)
- 1727, from refine + -ery. Originally in metallurgy and sugar-making; of petroleum by 1865.
- refit (v.)
- 1660s, from re- "again" + fit (v.). Originally nautical. Related: Refitted; refitting.
- reflect (v.)
- late 14c., "turn or bend back;" early 15c., "to divert, to turn aside, deflect," from Old French reflecter (14c.), from Latin reflectere "bend back, turn back" (see reflection). Of mirrors or polished surfaces, to shine back light rays or images, early 15c.; meaning "to turn one's thoughts back on" is c. 1600. Related: Reflected; reflecting.
- reflection (n.)
- late 14c., reflexion, in reference to surfaces throwing back light or heat, from Late Latin reflexionem (nominative reflexio) "a reflection," literally "a bending back," noun of action from past participle stem of Latin reflectere "to bend back, bend backwards, turn away," from re- "back" (see re-) + flectere "to bend" (see flexible). Of the mind, from 1670s. Meaning "remark made after turning back one's thought on some subject" is from 1640s. Spelling with -ct- recorded from late 14c., established 18c., by influence of the verb.
- reflective (adj.)
- 1620s, from reflect + -ive. Related: Reflectively; reflectiveness.
- reflectivity (n.)
- 1849, from reflective + -ity.
- reflector (n.)
- also reflecter, 1660s, agent noun in Latin form from reflect. As an attachment to a vehicle, etc., from 1909. As a type of telescope, 1767.
- reflex (n.)
- c. 1500, "reflection of light," from verb reflex meaning "refract, deflect" (late 14c.), from Late Latin reflexus "a bending back," noun use of past participle of reflectere (see reflection). Meaning "involuntary nerve stimulation" first recorded 1877, from reflex action (1833).
- reflexive (adj.)
- 1580s, "reflective, capable of bending or turning back," from Medieval Latin reflexivus, from Late Latin reflexus (see reflect). Meaning "of the nature of a reflex" is from 1839 (implied in reflexively). Grammatical sense from 1837. Related: Reflexiveness; reflexivity.
- reflexology (n.)
- 1927, as a psychological theory, from German reflexologie (1912); see reflex + -ology. As a foot massage technique, first recorded 1976.
- reflux (n.)
- early 15c., "a flowing back (of the sea, etc.)," from Medieval Latin refluxus, from Latin re- "back, again" (see re-) + fluxus "a flowing" (see flux). Digestive sense is recorded from 1937.
- refocus (v.)
- 1858, from re- + focus (v.). Related: Refocused; refocusing.
- reforest (v.)
- "to restore to a wooded condition," 1831, from re- "back, again" + verb use of forest (n.). Related: Reforested; reforesting.
