unsullied

Word family

• sully
  verbC2
• sullied
  adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Unsullied, pristine, immaculate, unblemished, and spotless all describe something free from flaws or dirt, but they differ in emphasis. Unsullied often carries a moral or reputational weight — a reputation or record that has resisted corruption. Pristine highlights an original, untouched state, especially of nature or objects (a pristine beach, a pristine copy of a book). Immaculate suggests flawless perfection, often in appearance, dress, or execution (an immaculate suit, an immaculate performance). Unblemished focuses on the absence of marks or damage, commonly used for skin, records, or reputations (unblemished skin, an unblemished driving record). Spotless is the most everyday term, typically for physical cleanliness (a spotless kitchen). Choose unsullied when you want to emphasise that something pure withstood a real threat of being spoiled or corrupted.

Common collocations

Etymology

Formed from the prefix un- ('not') and sullied, the past participle of sully ('to make dirty or impure'). Sully entered English through Anglo-Norman suillier, from Old French soillier ('to soil'), which traces back to Latin suculus ('little pig'), from sus ('pig') — reflecting the idea of something being made filthy. The word unsullied emerged in the late 16th century and has always carried a strong moral and literary tone.