pristine

[ pris-teen, pri-steen; especially British pris-tahyn ]

adjective

1. having its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied.

   Synonyms: unpolluted, untouched

2. of or relating to the earliest period or state; primitive.

pristine

/ ˈprɪstaɪn; -tiːn /

adjective

1. of or involving the earliest period, state, etc; original
2. pure; uncorrupted
3. 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pristine¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin pristinus “early”; akin to primus prime

Word History and Origins

Origin of pristine¹

C15: from Latin pristinus primitive; related to prīmus first, prime

Example Sentences

My profile was just a photo of my eye and a passage from a novel — something about how a couple reads their books: One dog-ears and underlines; the other keeps their reading material pristine.

From Los Angeles Times

The incident — which revived memories of a massive 3-million-gallon spill almost 50 years earlier — sullied some of the state’s most pristine beaches and a rare stretch of undeveloped coastline.

From Los Angeles Times

Tucked away in a corner of Montecito Heights are eight pristinely preserved Victorian-era structures, each with their own story to tell about the Southern Californians who lived in them during our first century of statehood.

From Los Angeles Times

The federal act has spurred the building of green energy projects across the country, sometimes on pristine land.

From Los Angeles Times

The island has startling natural beauty, from lush vegetation to pristine white beaches, and is also home to the world’s biggest terrestrial arthropod - the coconut crab.

From BBC

Related Words

• immaculate
• intact
• natural
• snowy
• spotless
• sterile
• untouched