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Pristine vs Superior - What's the difference?

pristine | superior |

As adjectives the difference between pristine and superior

is that pristine is unspoiled; still with its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied or pristine can be relating to sawfishes of the family pristidae while superior is higher in quality.

As a noun superior is

a person of higher rank or quality.

pristine

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) pristin.

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Unspoiled; still with its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied
  • Primitive, pertaining to the earliest state of something
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Relating to sawfishes of the family Pristidae.
  • * 2008, J.M. Whitty, N.M. Phillips, D.L. Morgan, J.A. Chaplin, D.C. Thorburn & S.C. Peverell, Habitat associations of Freshwater Sawfish (Pristis microdon)and Northern River Sharks (Glyphis sp. C): including genetic analysis of P. microdon across northern Australia [http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/publications/pubs/freshwater-sawfish-northern-river-shark.pdf]
  • This indicates that the present levels of genetic diversity in P. microdon are not unusually low, although the amount of diversity to be expected in pristine populations of coastal species of elasmobranch remains elusive because all populations investigated to date have suffered some degree of decline (e.g. Sandoval-Castillo et al. 2004, Keeney et al. 2005, Hoelzel et al. 2006, Stow et al. 2006, Lewallen et al. 2007).
    ----

    superior

    English

    Alternative forms

    * superiour (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Higher in quality.
  • Higher in rank.
  • * , chapter=12
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=There were many wooden chairs for the bulk of his visitors, and two wicker armchairs with red cloth cushions for superior people. From the packing-cases had emerged some Indian clubs, […], and all these articles […] made a scattered and untidy decoration that Mrs. Clough assiduously dusted and greatly cherished.}}
  • More comprehensive, as a term in classification.
  • A genus is superior to a species.
  • Located above.
  • the superior''' jaw; the '''superior part of an image
  • # (botany) Above the ovary; said of parts of the flower which, although normally below the ovary, adhere to it, and so appear to originate from its upper part; also of an ovary when the other floral organs are plainly below it in position, and free from it.
  • # (botany) Belonging to the part of an axillary flower which is toward the main stem; posterior.
  • # (botany) Pointing toward the apex of the fruit; ascending; said of the radicle.
  • # (typography) Printed in superscript.
  • a superior figure or letter
  • Greater or better than average; extraordinary.
  • Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by; with to .
  • * Spectator
  • There is not in earth a spectacle more worthy than a great man superior to his sufferings.

    Usage notes

    * Superior and inferior are generally followed by to; than is sometimes used mistakenly.

    Antonyms

    * (l)

    Coordinate terms

    *

    Derived terms

    * superiorness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person of higher rank or quality.
  • The senior person in a monastic community.