refection

/ɹɪˈfɛkʃən/

//ɹɪˈfɛkʃən// noun

"refection" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“refection” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Mental or spiritual refreshment.

Corpus desk

Index EN-refection · refection · English

refection · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "R" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for refection
PropertyValue
Headwordrefection
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˈfɛkʃən/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “refection” in English

refectionfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

refection is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɹɪˈfɛkʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for refection, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French réfection, from Latin refectiōnem, accusative singular of refectiō (“recovery, refection”), from reficiō (“restore, renew”). The correct English form is refection, spelled R-E-F-E-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Mental or spiritual refreshment.
  2. 2
    Physical refreshment, especially with food or drink.
  3. 3
    A meal, especially a light meal.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how refection appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. For beſide the common way and road of reception by the root, there may be a refection and imbibition from without; For gentle ſhowrs refreſh plants, though they enter not their roots; [...]
  2. [S]in and sorrow it were, considering the hardships of this noble and gallant knight, no whit mentioning or weighing those we ourselves have endured, if we were now either to advance or retard the hour of refection beyond the time when the viands are fit to be set before us.

Etymology

From French réfection, from Latin refectiōnem, accusative singular of refectiō (“recovery, refection”), from reficiō (“restore, renew”).

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "refection"?
"refection" is spelled R-E-F-E-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈfɛkʃən/.
What does "refection" mean?
As a noun, "refection" means: Mental or spiritual refreshment.
How do you pronounce "refection"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "refection" is /ɹɪˈfɛkʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "refection"?
From French réfection, from Latin refectiōnem, accusative singular of refectiō (“recovery, refection”), from reficiō (“restore, renew”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list