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

Next door, his restaurant Bayonet serves pristine raw bar dishes in a sleek white-box room; McDaniel was also nominated this year for a James Beard Award. — Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026

Moss, styled by Camilla Nickerson, appears in various pristine white outfits and is shot as though from a surveillance camera; the images look slightly blasted out, cold. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

If true, visiting 269 Justitia would offer a rare, close-up look at pristine material from the distant outer solar system via a much shorter journey. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Plus, merging everything into one pot can be messy; One partner may be paying off student loans while the other is debt-free with a pristine credit history. — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 8 Oct. 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