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
Melissa Noel, Essence, 15 Jan. 2025
As for other luxe ski resorts to head to this winter, destinations from Alaska to Patagonia are offering up pristine slopes for an over-the-top experience.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 13 Jan. 2025
The sale, which was required by Congress, marks the second time in four years that an effort to auction oil and gas leases in the pristine wilderness — home to migrating caribou, polar bears, musk oxen, millions of birds and other wildlife — has been a flop.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Her house is pristine and lifeless, reflecting Pansy’s own sense of joylessness.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
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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 26 Jan. 2025.
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pristine
adjective
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