preservative

1 of 2

adjective

pre·​ser·​va·​tive pri-ˈzər-və-tiv How to pronounce preservative (audio)
: having the power of preserving

preservative

2 of 2

noun

: something that preserves or has the power of preserving
specifically : an additive used to protect against decay, discoloration, or spoilage

Examples of preservative in a Sentence

Noun This food does not contain any artificial preservatives. The wood was treated with preservative.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
Chemists and beauty consumers alike started wondering if the recalls were indicative of something bigger—revealing the weakness of preservative systems found in some beauty products today. Deanna Pai, Allure, 18 Oct. 2024 Limit on poison Sodium nitrite is a preservative used often used in curing meats. Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 1 July 2024
Noun
While big nut butter brands contain preservatives that keep their products shelf stable, the oils in natural nut butters will separate. Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2024 Minimal Processing Processing can include putting additives and preservatives into foods, and processing can strip them of some nutrients. Nancy Lebrun, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for preservative 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of preservative was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near preservative

Cite this Entry

“Preservative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preservative. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

preservative

1 of 2 adjective
pre·​ser·​va·​tive pri-ˈzər-vət-iv How to pronounce preservative (audio)
: having the power of preserving

preservative

2 of 2 noun
: something that preserves or has the power of preserving
especially : a substance added to food to prevent spoiling or discoloring

Medical Definition

preservative

noun
pre·​ser·​va·​tive pri-ˈzər-vət-iv How to pronounce preservative (audio)
: something that preserves or has the power of preserving
specifically : an additive used to protect against decay, discoloration, or spoilage
a food preservative
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!