pristine

[pris-teen, pri-steen, pris-tahyn]

adjective

1. having its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied.

   Synonyms: untouched, unpolluted

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

For years visitors would venture up Mount Sinai with a Bedouin guide to watch the sunrise over the pristine, rocky landscape or go on other Bedouin-led hikes.

From BBC

“The traditional sheetrock drywall used in many museums have been painted and repainted so many times, they’re not exactly pristine when it comes to leveling.”

From Los Angeles Times

Before they can think about how uncomfortable it would be to live in that world, the endless scroll shuffles them along to another pristine box.

From Salon

As for the music itself, while it was enough to convince some fans, the lack of actual human creative input made it sound "vacuous and pristine", she says.

From BBC

Recorded live on analog tape, it has a pristine, wooden-floor kind of warmth.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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