refreshment (n.)

late 14c., "provision, provisioning; aid, encouragement; act or fact of refreshing; that which refreshes," originally mental and spiritual, from Old French refreschement (Modern French rafraîchissement), from refreschier "refresh, renew" (see refresh (v.)). Sense of "state of being refreshed" is by late 15c. Refreshments, of food and drink only, is by 1660s.

updated on June 15, 2021