pristine

adjective pris·tine \ ˈpri-ˌstēn , pri-ˈstēn , especially British ˈpri-ˌstīn \

Updated on: 6 Apr 2018

Definition of pristine

1 : belonging to the earliest period or state : original

the hypothetical pristine lunar atmosphere

2 a : not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted (as by civilization) : pure

a pristine forest

b : fresh and clean as or as if new

used books in pristine condition

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pristinely

adverb

See pristine defined for English-language learners

See pristine defined for kids

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Examples of pristine in a Sentence

My office is a mess but her office is always pristine.
He was wearing a pristine white shirt.

Recent Examples of pristine from the Web

The new John Glenn Astronomy Park – complete with an observatory – promises a view of the pristine night sky.

— carol motsinger, Cincinnati.com, "Is this going to be Ohio's updated version of Stonehenge?," 3 Apr. 2018
And in La La Land, Emma Stone proves that a pristine alabaster complexion and vivid red hue are a recipe for a standout performance in more ways than one.

— calin van paris, Vogue, "The Best Redheads of All Time: From Julia Roberts to Rihanna," 2 Apr. 2018
Art experts spent four months returning the painting to its pristine appearance.

— CBS News, "400-year-old Otto van Veen painting found in Iowa attic could be worth millions," 2 Apr. 2018
This is a hard, uncompromising place—a fact that is announced loud and clear upon entering the village, where the welcome sign in Sardo is left pristine, while that in Italian is ripped through by bullet holes.

— eliot stein, Condé Nast Traveler, "A Pagan Exorcism in Sardinia," 29 Mar. 2018
But the gushing river actually starts as a series of tiny, pristine streams in what’s known as headwaters.

— frank kummer, Philly.com, "Group buys 500 acres of pristine Lehigh River headwaters, gives it to state," 29 Mar. 2018
In years past, a standard Easter ensemble might include a straw hat, smocked dress and pristine white kicks - but this is 2018, people.

— amber elliott, Houston Chronicle, "Kids' trend-forward Easter styles rival Mom and Dad's," 28 Mar. 2018
Each table is adorned with a lamp and a pristine place-setting, giving it the appearance of a high-end restaurant.

— liz stinson, Curbed, "A high-design soup kitchen opens in Paris," 27 Mar. 2018
Along with its colorful past, the Coastside Ranch offers pristine wilderness, organic farmlands, a secluded beachfront and a 19th century farmhouse, according to the property's listing and a video showing the land's sweeping scenery.

— david caraccio, sacbee, "This is the 175-acre Santa Cruz ranch and former nudist beach on market for $35 million," 27 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pristine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

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."