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
Liam Tharme, New York Times, 8 June 2025
His pristine basketball sneakers were oddly bright in a room that has since receded into shadow in my memory.
—Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
Home to fifteen distinct neighborhoods across 400 acres, this seaside escape offers a truly staggering array of high-end amenities, offering an opportunity for guests to experience the pristine beauty of the British Virgin Islands at their most luxurious.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
The magnificent mountain landscape, pristine streams, abundant wildlife, and invigorating fresh air that inspire you to slow down and savor your surroundings have all drawn recreational adventurers for decades.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 6 June 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 16 Jun. 2025.
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pristine
adjective
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