conservation

noun

con·​ser·​va·​tion ˌkän(t)-sər-ˈvā-shən 

1

: a careful preservation and protection of something

especially : planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect

water conservation

wildlife conservation

2

: the preservation of a physical quantity during transformations or reactions

conservational

ˌkän(t)-sər-ˈvā-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

Synonyms

• preservation

Examples of conservation in a Sentence

They are trying to raise money for conservation.

the conservation of the environment

She specializes in the conservation of furniture.

the conservation of religious shrines

Recent Examples on the Web

The company has also established a rare plant germplasm resource bank, effectively balancing innovation and biodiversity conservation. —Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 30 June 2025

Complementing this work, the Bertarelli Philanthropy also supported the development of the Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager, which provides open-source, interactive data on the Galapagos area, and worldwide, to support conservation, policy, and research. —Dona Bertarelli, Time, 30 June 2025

The movie is surprisingly muted in its messaging, allowing its ideas about preservation and conservation to speak for themselves. —Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 30 June 2025

The report argues that every dollar invested in water management, climate-resilient farming, and forest and wetland conservation could have a $10 return purely by lessening the impact of future droughts. —Semafor Events, semafor.com, 30 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conservacioun "maintenance in good condition," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French conservacion "preservation, protection," borrowed from Latin conservātiōn-, conservātiō "action of keeping intact or unharmed, preservation," from conservāre "to save or keep from danger, preserve, keep unchanged" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at conserve entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing conservation

• anti-conservation
• conservation area
• conservation of charge
• conservation of energy
• conservation of mass

Rhymes for conservation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

conservation

noun

con·​ser·​va·​tion ˌkän(t)-sər-ˈvā-shən 

: a careful preservation and protection of something

especially : planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, pollution, destruction, or neglect