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
Emma Tubbs, Architectural Digest, 26 Dec. 2024
Only accessible by boat, the uninhabited nature preserve’s salt marshes, dunes, and pristine beaches are great spots to hunt for fossils, fish, or camp.
—Judy Garrison, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
Montgomery officials say the need for such assistance is pervasive, even in one of the Washington region’s wealthiest counties, where large mansions and pristine golf courses are a short drive away from neighborhoods where going to a food shelter is a regular routine.
—Katie Shepherd, Baltimore Sun, 26 Dec. 2024
Her face is a pristine porcelain surface, unmarked by time.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 25 Dec. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near pristine
Cite this Entry
“Pristine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pristine. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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pristine
adjective
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