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

Newsom, no longer a candidate for public office in California, and perhaps speaking to a national audience, even threw some shade on an agency that’s widely viewed as having kept much of the state’s 840-mile coastline comparatively pristine for the past 50 years. —Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026

The shores of the Great Lakes brush big cities as well as pristine wilderness. —Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026

Beaufort, North Carolina This fishing village with century-old homes, idyllic marinas, and pristine beaches could be plucked from a vintage postcard. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026

One of the prettiest sections of the 1,500-mile Florida Trail runs right through the heart of the 387,000-acre pristine public land. —Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 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

Rhymes for pristine

• cystine
• vincristine

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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