Main Entry: ¹pre·serve

Pronunciation: \pri-ˈzərv\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): pre·served; pre·serv·ing

Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin praeservare, from Late Latin, to observe beforehand, from Latin prae- + servare to keep, guard, observe — more at conserve

Date: 14th century

transitive verb 1 : to keep safe from injury, harm, or destruction : protect
2 a : to keep alive, intact, or free from decay b : maintain
3 a : to keep or save from decomposition b : to can, pickle, or similarly prepare for future use
4 : to keep up and reserve for personal or special useintransitive verb 1 : to make preserves
2 : to raise and protect game for purposes of sport
3 : to be able to be preserved (as by canning)

— pre·serv·abil·i·ty \-ˌzər-və-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— pre·serv·able \-ˈzər-və-bəl\ adjective

— pres·er·va·tion \ˌpre-zər-ˈvā-shən\ noun

— pre·serv·er \pri-ˈzər-vər\ noun