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pre·ser·va·tive | \ pri-ˈzər-və-tiv 
\
\Definition of preservative
(Entry 1 of 2)
: having the power of preserving
preservative
nounDefinition of preservative (Entry 2 of 2)
: 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: Adjective My guess is that in some hopefully ever-improving version, this 21st century MoMA will work, if only for self-preservative reasons.
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Holland Cotter, New York Times, "MoMA Reboots With ‘Modernism Plus’," 10 Oct. 2019 Thanks to widespread manufacturing, Irish moss found a whole slew of new applications, such as stabilizing chocolate milk and being combined with ascorbic acid to form a preservative film over frozen foods.
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Emily Toomey, Smithsonian, "The Most Irish Town in America Was Built on Seaweed," 23 July 2019 For bogs, the acidity has remarkable preservative effects—think bog bodies—and keeps the environment limited to highly specialized species that can tolerate such harsh environments.
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Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "How Humble Moss Healed the Wounds of Thousands in World War I," 28 Apr. 2017 For cut flowers: Fill a clean vase halfway with lukewarm water, and mix in half or the entire preservative bag that comes with your flowers.
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Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, "Punch List: What to do outdoors in your garden in February, plus tips on seeds," 3 Feb. 2017 Reliably clean water wouldn't arrive until 1842’s opening of the Croton Aqueduct, and thanks to its boiling process and the preservative nature of hops, beer was safer to drink than water until then.
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Keith Flanagan, USA TODAY, "New York City's beer trail," 27 Apr. 2017 For bogs, the acidity has remarkable preservative effects—think bog bodies—and keeps the environment limited to highly specialized species that can tolerate such harsh environments.
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Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "How Humble Moss Healed the Wounds of Thousands in World War I," 28 Apr. 2017 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Liquid soaps usually contain fragrances and preservatives, which can cause another type of dermatitis (allergic contact dermatitis), so opt for a plain, unperfumed bar soap.
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Popular Science, "Simple tips to heal your hands after constant washing," 18 Apr. 2020 In a tweet, Burger King says the Whopper free of preservatives, colors, or flavors from artificial sources will be available at all restaurants by the end of 2020.
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Melissa Locker, Time, "Burger King Wants You to See How Moldy This Whopper Can Get Thanks to the March of Time," 19 Feb. 2020 Unlike the hummus at most American supermarkets, Hummus Bodega’s hummus is made fresh every morning and only lasts four days because there are no preservatives.
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Janelle Bitker, SFChronicle.com, "New San Francisco restaurant Hummus Bodega promises hummus as smooth as ice cream," 7 May 2020 For a combination decanter and purifier, try Üllo—its decanter filters out sulfites, preservatives that some people are sensitive to.
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Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, "10 Ways to Recreate the Luxury of Hotel Turndown Service at Home," 21 Apr. 2020 On Wednesday, the FDA said Abbott would be changing its label to preclude use of the preservative.
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Rebecca Ballhaus, WSJ, "Coronavirus Testing Hampered by Disarray, Shortages, Backlogs," 19 Apr. 2020 Crews put special preservative oil in the engine and hydraulic systems and install plugs and covers to protect vulnerable areas.
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John Cox, USA TODAY, "Ask the Captain: What will it take to return parked airplanes to service after coronavirus?," 9 Apr. 2020 Colgate did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how removing preservatives from toothpaste will affect the product's shelf life.
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Chauncey Alcorn, CNN, "Colgate toothpaste goes vegan, organic and all-natural," 25 Feb. 2020 Burger King announced Wednesday the company is removing preservatives from its Whoppers.
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Ben Kesslen, NBC News, "Burger King announces move to be preservative-free with moldy Whopper ad," 19 Feb. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preservative.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for preservative
preservative
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of preservative
: a chemical that is added to food to keep it fresh longer
: a substance that is used on wood to prevent it from decaying
See the full definition for preservative in the English Language Learners Dictionary
preservative
nounpre·ser·va·tive | \ pri-ˈzər-vət-iv \
\Kids Definition of preservative
: a substance added to food to keep it from spoiling
preservative
nounpre·ser·va·tive | \ pri-ˈzər-vət-iv \
\Medical Definition of preservative
: something that preserves or has the power of preserving specifically : an additive used to protect against decay, discoloration, or spoilage a food preservative
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Time Traveler for preservative
The first known use of preservative was in the 14th century
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