pristine

adjective

pris·​tine ˈpri-ˌstēn 

pri-ˈstēn

especially British ˈpri-ˌstīn

1

: belonging to the earliest period or state : original

the hypothetical pristine lunar atmosphere

2

a

: not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted (as by civilization) : pure

a pristine forest

b

: fresh and clean as or as if new

used books in pristine condition

pristinely adverb

Did you know?

When pristine was anglicized in the 16th century, people borrowed the meanings of "early" and "original" from the Latin word pristinus and applied those meanings to what is desirable as well as to what is not. But it has long been a tendency of civilized people to admire a simpler and unsullied past. The supposition is that when things were in their oldest or original state, they were better. Thus, pristine was extended to describe the notion of an unspoiled, uncorrupted, or unpolluted state. And what is unspoiled or uncontaminated may connote the freshness and cleanness of something that has just been made, which explains how pristine has also come to mean "fresh and clean."

Synonyms of pristine

• mint
• fresh
• virginal
• untouched
• virgin

Examples of pristine in a Sentence

My office is a mess but her office is always pristine.

He was wearing a pristine white shirt.

Recent Examples on the Web

Their pristine state has preserved a chemical record largely untouched by melting or extreme heat. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026

So, scientists are getting a rather pristine crash site to analyze. — Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Bimobil The vehicle base in this case was a pristine, deep-red Land Cruiser cab-chassis that exemplifies Bimobil's unflappable travel-anywhere spirit just as keenly as the brand's own expedition camping modules. — New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2026

Scordo saw the pristine, clean lab equipment, the same unopened packages of vials and other supplies that had been there for months and the mountains of mail, some envelopes now spilled out onto the floor. — Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin pristinus; akin to Latin prior

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pristine

• pristine condition

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Kids Definition

pristine

adjective

pris·​tine ˈpris-ˌtēn 

1

: not spoiled, polluted, or corrupted (as by civilization)

a pristine forest

2

: being fresh and clean

pristine new math books