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
Lee Billings, Scientific American, 13 May 2026
Nestled within a working tea plantation at the edge of the pristine Nyungwe Forest National Park, this luxury lodge is one of the most upscale hotels in Rwanda.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 May 2026
For all the superpowers Anthony Edwards possesses on the court, his pristine physical condition has proven to be the most valuable trait for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the NBA playoffs this year.
—CBS News, 12 May 2026
Importantly, this is a lower density than is found anywhere on Earth, even in our most pristine vacuums.
—Big Think, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pristine
Cite this Entry
“Pristine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pristine. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pristine
adjective
