pristine
adjective
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."
Examples of pristine in a Sentence
Ella Nilsen, CNN, 17 July 2024
The beaches were pristine, and the local fish populations were flourishing.
—John Wogan, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2024
Make no mistake: This isn’t a pristine white sand spot.
—Tim Ebner, Washington Post, 10 July 2024
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa: Rancho Santa Fe, California
Rancho Valencia, which sits on 45 pristine acres of private land, has long been loved by T+L readers for its quiet atmosphere and wealth of wellness offerings.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for pristine 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pristine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pristine
Cite this Entry
“Pristine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pristine. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pristine
adjective
Share