preservation

noun

pres·​er·​va·​tion ˌpre-zər-ˈvā-shən 

: the act, process, or result of preserving something: such as

a

: the activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay

preservation of state parks/monuments

preservation of an old tradition

The special emphasis of recent years on preservation continued in 1988. More than 8,000 brittle volumes (1.5 million pages) were committed to microfilm; an additional 777 rare books, manuscripts, and historical films received special conservation treatment.

—Library and Book Trade Almanac

These and so many lesser red flags seem finally to be shifting public interest toward the preservation of wildlife and natural habitats.

—E. Annie Proulx

b

: the preparation of food for future use (as by canning, pickling, or freezing) to prevent spoilage

the use of salt in the preservation of meat

In the years following the first Earth Day in 1970, a contingent of Americans insisted on developing pesticide-free systems of farming and anti-chemical methods of food preservation and preparation.

—Tibbett L. Speer

Synonyms of preservation

• preserving
• maintenance

Examples of preservation in a Sentence

each curator is responsible for the preservation of the works of art within his or her department

the preservation of the tropical rainforests is a global responsibility

Recent Examples on the Web

By launching the initiative at high-profile events such as the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, the commission is working to reframe sustainability as a modern extension of the Islamic values of stewardship and the preservation of the Earth. —Fmg Studios, Footwear News, 1 May 2026

No two places are exactly alike, and there are plenty of reasons Lund has more and better parks than most American cities, like Sweden’s higher taxes and its long history of nature preservation. —Big Think, 1 May 2026

Others are prioritizing the preservation of Proposition 13, California’s famous tax amendment from 1978 that sets the base property tax rate at 1% and caps annual increases at 2%. —Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

The building was declared dangerous in August 2025 and demolition moved forward, without preservation commission review. —Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing preservation

• preservation order
• self-preservation
• state of preservation

Rhymes for preservation

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

Kids Definition

preservation

noun

pres·​er·​va·​tion

ˌprez-ər-ˈvā-shən

: a keeping from injury, loss, or decay