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

It is also home to remote, rugged mountains, majestic canyons, lush grasslands and pristine lakes.

Read more on BBC

Montego Bay is a popular destination for cruise ships to dock and home to golf courses as well resorts next to the normally pristine white sand.

Read more on BBC

In contrast, the early Universe offers a pristine setting -- essentially an untouched laboratory -- for investigating how dark matter behaves without interference from later cosmic structures.

Read more on Science Daily

He wasn’t consistently hitting 100 mph on the radar gun or dotting the strike zone with his typically pristine command.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

First-time visitors have been awestruck by pristine fjords and magnificent glaciers, gushing over stunning, untouched landscape.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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