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

• brand-new
• fresh
• mint
• span-new
• virgin
• virginal

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

Two more photos depict the pigeon’s unfortunate end—bleeding from a slit in its neck, leaving droplets of blood splattered on the falconer’s pristine thawb. —M. Z. Adnan, The New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2024

Explore the resort’s 100 miles of trails sprawled across 37,000 acres of pristine Montana wilderness by dog sled, horseback, downhill ski or snow tube before gathering around the nightly campfire to share stories over s’mores. —Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024

Art critics agree Howe’s style was punctuated by dynamic motion, bright colors and pristine lines. —Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024

Indigenous peoples have preserved our pristine territories for generations. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024

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