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
Kara Franker, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
What was once a pristine estuary has become a hotspot for pollution, habitat loss, and stress.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Built in 1870, the Victorian home houses 10 guest rooms, each individually designed for comfort with soft lighting, pristine white linens, and textured accents like wicker headboards.
—Karla Pope, Architectural Digest, 19 June 2025
Blocks are great for pristine compositions on the go.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 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 1 Jul. 2025.
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pristine
adjective
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