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

Yet, despite having pristine pools of first-party consumer insights, many CDPs remain passive archives—costly repositories of record that store data rather than act on it in real time. — Pratik Bhadra, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

But look, there’s also loads of Ye Olde charm, beautiful beaches, pristine forests and a brand-new cappuccino machine! — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Given the pristine surroundings, the Phillipses took a strictly sustainable approach in building the property, choosing its location in a spot that would require virtually no tree removal. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

Ko ensured the recipe’s instructions in this book were as pristine and legible as Vongerichten’s cooking is nimble and gleaming. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 9 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