pristine

adjective

pris·​tine ˈpri-ˌstēn How to pronounce pristine (audio)
pri-ˈstēn,
 especially British  ˈpri-ˌstīn
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
pristinely adverb

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

My office is a mess but her office is always pristine. He was wearing a pristine white shirt.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just a few miles from Truckee, which anchors the California side of the crystalline lake, is Martis Camp, a low-key and high-luxury residential resort community spanning 2,177 pristine acres. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 2 Jan. 2025 Before Shafak, like many other female artists, sits another motif of creative anxiety: a notebook, its pristine pages gleaming under lamplight with both seductive promise and silent condemnation. Fidan Cheikosman, JSTOR Daily, 1 Jan. 2025 Last spring, six pristine pickleball courts opened in the space between Kimpton Rowan Hotel and the Palm Springs Art Museum. David Hochman, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025 Tearing apart a 911 to put it back together, better, stronger, and technically perfect The first step–disassembly–happens off-site from Singer’s pristine Torrance, California shop floor. Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 1 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for pristine 

Word History

Etymology

Latin pristinus; akin to Latin prior

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pristine was in 1534

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Dictionary Entries Near pristine

Cite this Entry

“Pristine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pristine. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

pristine

adjective
1
: not spoiled, polluted, or corrupted (as by civilization)
a pristine forest
2
: being fresh and clean
pristine new math books

More from Merriam-Webster on pristine

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