pristine
Americanadjective
-
having its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied.
- Synonyms:
- untouched, unpolluted
-
of or relating to the earliest period or state; primitive.
adjective
-
of or involving the earliest period, state, etc; original
-
pure; uncorrupted
-
fresh, clean, and unspoiled
his pristine new car
Usage
The use of pristine to mean fresh, clean, and unspoiled is considered by some people to be incorrect
Etymology
Origin of pristine
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin pristinus “early”; akin to primus prime
Explanation
If something is pristine it's immaculately clean or has never been used. So please check your shoes before walking on a pristine white carpet. A long, long time ago pristine was used to describe primitive or ancient things. It wasn’t until 1899 that the word grew to mean "unspoiled" or "pure." Ecologists strive to preserve pristine rain forests, just as vacationers are always looking for a pristine strip of beach to lounge on. A new car should arrive to you in pristine condition, and hopefully you'll do your best to keep it that way.
Vocabulary lists containing pristine
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 4
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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It also places additional strains on infrastructure; Yes campaign posters depict suffocating traffic jams and apartment blocks rising over pristine villages and fields.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
When people hear the word ceviche, they often picture a pristine fillet of fish and a corresponding dent in their grocery budget.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
Even cars parked on the street that look pristine can be someone’s shelter, she said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
Accordingly, the 33-year-old presented herself as pure and pristine; or flawed and devilish, as the mood suited.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
At the same time, to simply walk along the pristine Inner Harbor or go see the Orioles in action without understanding that all of Baltimore is not downtown would be equally misleading.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
