preservationist

noun pres·er·va·tion·ist \ ˌpre-zər-ˈvā-sh(ə-)nist \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of preservationist

: one who advocates preservation (as of a biological species or a historical landmark)

See preservationist defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of preservationist from the Web

The campaign to save the homes was led by local preservationists and Councilman Steve Hansen, who represents midtown.

— ryan lillis, sacbee, "These 1910 homes hosted punk rockers and poets. They were just spared from demolition | The Sacramento Bee," 12 Apr. 2018
One wonders how much of Medina's rich history would be lost without Szunyog and other dedicated preservationists like her.

— mary jane brewer, cleveland.com, "Preservationist Cynthia Szunyog lives for -- and in -- history: Medina County Local Legends," 2 Apr. 2018
Having campaigned as a committed preservationist, Mayor Kenney came into office in 2016 promising to step up protections for the city’s stock of old buildings.

— inga saffron, Philly.com, "Philadelphia's preservation reform effort has lost its way | Inga Saffron," 29 Mar. 2018
Environmentalists and historic preservationists, however, testified against the bill that could lead to private sale of the park.

— gregory b. hladky, courant.com, "Debate Over Seaside State Park Future Renewed," 17 Mar. 2018
Historic preservationists from state and federal institutions have arrived in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta to investigate the possible discovery of the infamous slave ship Clotilda.

— lawrence specker, AL.com, "Slave ship Clotilda: Preservationists arrive at possible wreck site," 2 Mar. 2018
The divide between the ardent preservationists and the pro-development faction is so deep that the members have been unable to agree on the problem that they are supposed to fix, according to several people interviewed.

— inga saffron, Philly.com, "Philadelphia's preservation reform effort has lost its way | Inga Saffron," 29 Mar. 2018
In Nashville, the future of the land around Fort Negley has been tangled up in its own fierce debate, pitting preservationists against those who wanted the site turned into the city’s latest retail, entertainment and housing development.

— matthew haag, New York Times, "Nashville Mayor Proposes City Park to Atone for Its Slave History," 14 Mar. 2018
As the anchor of the Ilitch organization's ongoing District Detroit development, the arena has also faced public demonstrations by preservationists aiming to protect nearby buildings.

— kristen jordan shamus, USA TODAY, "Activists protest R. Kelly at Detroit's Little Caesars Arena: 'Black girls do matter'," 22 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preservationist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.