preservative

1 of 2

adjective

pre·​ser·​va·​tive pri-ˈzər-və-tiv 

: 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

Adjective

Over half were additives typically added to ultraprocessed foods; the rest were more natural options, such as the use of lemon juice as a preservative or beet juice for color. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026

What’s not in it is the alphabet soup of preservative enhancements that the health-minded crowd tries to avoid. —Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026

Noun

And while convenient, they’re traditionally loaded with preservatives and packaged in ways that feel wasteful. —Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Feb. 2026

Edwards says that other natural nut butters, such as cashew butter, should be refrigerated to help with shelf life due to lack of preservatives. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for preservative

• conservative
• neoconservative

Kids Definition

preservative

1 of 2 adjective

pre·​ser·​va·​tive pri-ˈzər-vət-iv 

: 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 

: something that preserves or has the power of preserving

specifically : an additive used to protect against decay, discoloration, or spoilage

a food preservative