preservative
adjective
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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
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. — 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. — 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. — 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. — Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "How Humble Moss Healed the Wounds of Thousands in World War I," 28 Apr. 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Formaldehyde was also used as a preservative in meat. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "We have food safety laws thanks to 19th century “poison squad”," 26 Nov. 2018 It is sourced from California olives and contains no fillers or preservatives. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "This Delicious Vegan Bodega Just Opened in the West Village—Here's What to Try First," 1 Oct. 2018 Rather, this is a case about the precious and fundamental right to vote—the right preservative of all other rights. — Stavros Agorakis, Vox, "Florida judge sides with Democrats, giving thousands a second chance to fix their ballots," 15 Nov. 2018 Its foods and snacks will be reformulated to no longer contain artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, or preservatives. — Cheryl Wischhover, Vox, "As “dieting” becomes more taboo, Weight Watchers is changing its name," 24 Sep. 2018 The beverage is also low in calories and has no preservatives. — Emily Price, Fortune, "This Non-Alcoholic Water Tastes Like Wine," 9 July 2018 The not-from-concentrate products are made without artificial flavors or preservatives. — Katherine Feser, Houston Chronicle, "Simply Beverages division of Coca-Cola unveils new light juice products," 21 May 2018 Sometimes that’s because there are added preservatives or coloring. — Alex Delany, Bon Appetit, "Rao's Is the Best Jarred Pasta Sauce There Ever Was," 7 May 2018 The gluten-free extract has no preservatives, doesn't affect the taste of the coffee and has trace amounts of caffeine. — Patricia Talorico, USA TODAY, "Selfie latte? Coffee shop machine will turn your face into foamy art," 26 Mar. 2018These 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
noun
\
Kids Definition of preservative
: a substance added to food to keep it from spoiling
preservative
noun
\
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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