pristine
adjective
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When pristine was anglicized in the 16th century, people borrowed the meanings of "early" and "original" from the Latin word pristinus and applied those meanings to what is desirable as well as to what is not. But it has long been a tendency of civilized people to admire a simpler and unsullied past. The supposition is that when things were in their oldest or original state, they were better. Thus, pristine was extended to describe the notion of an unspoiled, uncorrupted, or unpolluted state. And what is unspoiled or uncontaminated may connote the freshness and cleanness of something that has just been made, which explains how pristine has also come to mean "fresh and clean."
Examples of pristine in a Sentence
Alexandra Kirkman, Fortune, 22 July 2025
Yes, from my forehead to my neck, my skin is pristine: even and smooth, and glows like no other, I’m told.
—Jackie Fields, People.com, 21 July 2025
For the adventurous, Greenland offers pristine Arctic landscapes, and for those on expedition-style cruises in Scoresby Sund, there will be a total solar eclipse of up to 2 minutes, 17 seconds, with the sun about 25 degrees above the western horizon.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 21 July 2025
Gliding past five pristine alpine lakes and dramatic cliffs, the train climbs using cogwheel technology en route to the 3,307-foot Brünig Pass and connecting the Bernese Oberland to Central Switzerland.
—AFAR Media, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pristine
Cite this Entry
“Pristine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pristine. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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pristine
adjective
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