preserve

¹pre·serve

verb \pri-ˈzərv\

pre·servedpre·serv·ing

Definition of PRESERVE

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 use

intransitive 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

Examples of PRESERVE

1. The fossil was well preserved.
2. These laws are intended to help preserve our natural resources.
3. They are fighting to preserve their rights as citizens.
4. a subtance that helps preserve wood
5. The peaches are preserved in syrup.
6. Salt can be used to preserve meat.

Origin of PRESERVE

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

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PRESERVE

Synonyms

conserve, keep up, maintain, save

Related Words

service; support, sustain; care (for), husband, manage; defend, guard, protect, safeguard, screen, shield; cure, fix, heal, remedy; mend, patch, rebuild, reconstruct, rehabilitate, rejuvenate, restore

Near Antonyms

disregard, ignore, neglect; break, damage, destroy, harm, hurt, impair, injure, ruin, wreck

²preserve

noun

Definition of PRESERVE

1

: fruit canned or made into jams or jellies or cooked whole or in large pieces in a syrup so as to keep its shape —often used in plural

2

: an area restricted for the protection and preservation of natural resources (as animals or plants) <a game preserve for regulated hunting or fishing> <nature preserves>

3

: something regarded as reserved for certain persons

Examples of PRESERVE

1. a jar of strawberry preserve
2. Game preserves allow only carefully controlled hunting and fishing.
3. The military was once an all-male preserve.

First Known Use of PRESERVE

1600

Other Ecology Terms

Malthusian, anthropogenic, biomass, carbon footprint, crepuscular, niche, sere, symbiosis, taiga, tundra

pre·serve

transitive verb \pri-ˈzərv\   (Medical Dictionary)

pre·served; pre·serv·ing

Medical Definition of PRESERVE

1

: to keep alive, intact, or free from decay

2

: to keep or save from decomposition