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
Katie Bain, Billboard, 11 Apr. 2024
Finally, the installation team arrives to build out the new system, ensuring timely and efficient renovation with pristine clean-up.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
For three innings, Jesus Luzardo maneuvered around a potent New York Yankees lineup despite not having pristine command.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
Where else can kids (and kids-at-heart) grab a Stitch or Moana Dole Whip and dip their toes in the pristine ocean before hanging out with Goofy during a pool party?
—Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024
These are flawed people with their own weaknesses and blind spots, not pristine Hollywood creations.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
Located on a barrier island just a short drive from downtown Miami, this resort is a tranquil retreat with its pristine beaches, tennis facilities, and a world-class spa.
—Andrea Navarro, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
These wonders are just an initial snapshot of fantastic creatures discovered 1,640 miles (5,000 meters) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean in a pristine area that’s earmarked as a site for deep-sea mining of critical and rare metals.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
But Ibiza also has a quiet side, with pristine secluded beaches, a pastoral countryside, and small inland villages with a bohemian soul that harks back to the island’s hippie past.
—Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2024
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 23 Apr. 2024.
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pristine
adjective
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