conservancy

noun

con·​ser·​van·​cy kən-ˈsər-vən(t)-sē How to pronounce conservancy (audio)
plural conservancies
Synonyms of conservancynext
1
British : a board regulating fisheries and navigation in a river or port
2
b
: an organization or area designated to conserve and protect natural resources

Examples of conservancy in a Sentence

The land was recently donated to a local conservancy. raising money for the conservancy of natural resources
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Explore behind the scenes at the conservancy’s native nursery and seed farm, where Peninsula habitat restoration is the goal. Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 With the $12,000 from the LJP&B account dedicated to Whale View Point tasks, the conservancy plans to collect the remaining funds needed through donations. Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 When the news broke in newspapers in Zimbabwe that the government was planning to cull 600 elephants, Krog made contact with the conservancy. Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026 At Miantonomi Park, Joe Verstandig, the conservancy's living collections manager, led the group into the forest. ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conservancy

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conservancie "act of conserving or keeping safe," borrowed from Medieval Latin conservantia "conservation, office of a conservator," noun derivative of Latin conservant-, conservans, present participle of conservāre "to save or keep from danger, preserve, keep unchanged" — more at conserve entry 1

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conservancy was in 1667

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Conservancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conservancy. Accessed 12 May. 2026.

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