untainted

Imagine a clear mountain lake, untouched by pollution. That's what untainted suggests. It describes something that stays pure, clean, or free from anything harmful or dishonest. An untainted reputation has not been damaged by scandal, and an untainted heart is free from ill will. Think of fresh snow, smooth and untouched. You might also say someone has an "untainted enthusiasm," meaning their excitement is real and has not been spoiled by bad experiences.

The word untainted points to a state of purity or honesty that has not been spoiled, corrupted, or damaged. It comes from the word "taint," which means to contaminate, stain, or negatively affect something. So untainted literally means "not tainted." The idea can apply to physical things, but it is also often used for reputation, character, feelings, records, and sources of information.

You might describe a young child's innocence as untainted, meaning it has not yet been shaped by cruelty, dishonesty, or the harder parts of life. A historical document could be called untainted if it has not been altered or forged. A politician with an untainted record has stayed free from scandal or corruption.

The word often carries a feeling that this kind of purity is valuable and easy to lose once it has been harmed. In literature, writers may describe untainted landscapes to suggest nature in its original state or a longing for a simpler time. The phrase "an untainted source" suggests something reliable because it has not been influenced, mixed with falsehood, or made doubtful.

So, when something is described as untainted, picture something still clean in character, condition, or origin, with nothing harmful or corrupt having touched it. It is not necessarily perfect, but it has remained free from the kind of influence that would lessen its value, trust, or innocence.