preserved

American

[pri-zurvd] / prɪˈzɜrvd /

adjective

(of food or any perishable substance) prepared by canning, pickling, salting, or the like, or treated by some process to prevent decomposition or fermentation.

I had never had such fresh-tasting preserved fruit before.
kept safe from harm or injury; protected or spared.

This is a wonderfully preserved example of Mayan cave art.
kept up or maintained; kept in good condition or health.

Tucked in Amsterdam’s inner city is a uniquely preserved 17th-century house from the Dutch Golden Age.
kept alive or in existence.

When I take a portrait photograph, I’m capturing a moment in a life, making it a preserved memory.
(of game or fish, natural habitats, etc.) maintained or reserved for continued hunting or fishing, or for private or public use and appreciation.

New walking trails will be built through the preserved areas of parkland.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of preserve.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of preserved

First recorded in 1550–60; preserve ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; preserve ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Explanation

Something that's preserved is kept in its original state or kept alive and fresh. Preserved artifacts are protected from damage, often in a museum where they can be kept safe. Preserved food is treated in some way that makes it spoil much more slowly than it would otherwise. Sometimes this is done by adding chemical preservatives, and other times it's a more natural process, involving drying, pickling, salting, or canning. Preserved fruit, cooked with sugar and sealed in jars, is also called preserves. These words all stem from the Medieval Latin preservare, "keep safe."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

preserved

Many were remarkably well preserved, and some remained connected in their original arrangement.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

The oldest known shipwreck where some of the wood is still preserved was found in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

The technology is decidedly futuristic, but the company has deliberately preserved a person at the point of service.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

In boglands near Gullåkra, organic material such as wood, bone, skin and even clothing were preserved due to a lack of oxygen and the suppression of microbes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026