preservation

noun

pres·​er·​va·​tion ˌpre-zər-ˈvā-shən 

: the act, process, or result of preserving something: such as

a

: the activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay

preservation of state parks/monuments

preservation of an old tradition

The special emphasis of recent years on preservation continued in 1988. More than 8,000 brittle volumes (1.5 million pages) were committed to microfilm; an additional 777 rare books, manuscripts, and historical films received special conservation treatment.

—Library and Book Trade Almanac

These and so many lesser red flags seem finally to be shifting public interest toward the preservation of wildlife and natural habitats.

—E. Annie Proulx

b

: the preparation of food for future use (as by canning, pickling, or freezing) to prevent spoilage

the use of salt in the preservation of meat

In the years following the first Earth Day in 1970, a contingent of Americans insisted on developing pesticide-free systems of farming and anti-chemical methods of food preservation and preparation.

—Tibbett L. Speer

Synonyms

• care and feeding
• conservation
• conserving
• keep
• maintenance
• preserving
• sustentation
• upkeep

Examples of preservation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2020. —Zoe G Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Apr. 2024

Within the institution, successful initiatives have permeated every discipline, and the preservation of institutional memory has set the groundwork for future achievements. —Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024

The paper-only preservation of a large sports venue with historic significance is not without local precedent. —Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Apr. 2024

The films will be preceded by an introduction from Jillian Borders, head of preservation, UCLA Film & Television Archive. —Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2024

That’s a powerful testament to what preservation can do. —Allison C. Meier, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024

In fact, this result came unexpectedly amid our team’s efforts to test claims of near-pristine protein preservation in dinosaur bone. —Evan Thomas Saitta, Discover Magazine, 12 Apr. 2024

The level of detail of the mosaics that have been discovered there are just extraordinary; there are levels of preservation that are as good as Pompeii. —Mark Ellwood, Fortune Europe, 6 Apr. 2024

His great-grandfather, James Henry Comley, a pioneering horticulturist and author, influenced Comley's early passion for preservation. —Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing preservation

• preservation order
• self-preservation
• state of preservation

Kids Definition

preservation

noun

pres·​er·​va·​tion

ˌprez-ər-ˈvā-shən

: a keeping from injury, loss, or decay