Refreshing

How to spell refreshing

10 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce refreshing

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does refreshing mean?

1. adjectivePleasantly cooling, reviving, or welcome, especially after effort or heat.

Refreshing in a sentence

• A cold glass of water felt refreshing after the long hike.

• Her honest feedback was a refreshing change from the usual flattery.

Where does refreshing come from?

Language of origin: French

This word is built on the verb 'refresh', which English assembled in the 1300s from the prefix 're-', meaning 'again', and the Old French 'refreschir', 'to make fresh again'. The French in turn drew on the adjective 'fresch', meaning 'cool' or 'new', a word borrowed from a Germanic source related to the Old English 'fersc' and the modern English 'fresh'. The literal sense was to restore something to a cool, new, or vigorous state, which is why a drink, a breeze, or a rest can all be described this way. The present participle 'refreshing' came to work as an adjective, meaning anything that revives or pleasantly cools. The doubled spelling trap is minimal here, but writers sometimes drop the second 'e' or mishandle the 'sh'; remembering it simply adds '-ing' to the familiar word 'refresh' keeps it secure.

How the word is built

• re- (again)
• fresh (Germanic root meaning new, cool, unspoiled)
• -ing (adjective suffix)