What does refashionment mean?
Refashionment means the process of making something over by reshaping, redesigning, or substantially altering it. The word can refer either to the act of transformation itself or to the new form that results. Its use often suggests more than a minor adjustment: a refashionment may involve changing an object’s design, purpose, appearance, or institutional organization. For example, a garment can be described as a refashionment when its shape or construction has been considerably altered, while a public building or institution may undergo a refashionment when its functions or appearance are redesigned. The word is formal and literary rather than everyday, but it is useful when describing deliberate transformation that produces a distinctly new identity. It also conveys the idea of making over something while retaining some connection to its earlier form.
nounThe act of remaking or reshaping something, especially a garment, design, or institution. It can also refer to the new form or result produced in this way.
- The act of remaking or reshaping something.
- A new form or result produced by remaking or reshaping something.
"The refashionment of the old theatre into a museum transformed the surrounding district."
"The refashionment of the uniform gave the team a more modern appearance."
"Her refashionment of an old jacket resulted in an entirely new coat."
Plural refashionments refers to multiple acts or results of reshaping or remaking.
"The museum's refashionments have preserved much of the building's original character."
A refashionment is more than a simple repair: it gives an existing thing a substantially new shape or purpose.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does refashionment come from?
Refashionment is formed from refashion, which combines the prefix re- with fashion. The word fashion itself comes through French from Latin factura, meaning “a making” or “manufacture,” and ultimately from facere, “to make.” The same Latin root is reflected in related words such as factory, manufacture, and facility.
Related word forms
How refashionment is actually used
This is a formal and relatively literary word. It is used especially for noticeable changes to clothing, design, institutions, and other established forms.