conservation

[kon-ser-vey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of conserving; prevention of injury, decay, waste, or loss; preservation.

   conservation of wildlife;

   conservation of human rights.

   Synonyms: protection, husbandry, care

2. official supervision of rivers, forests, and other natural resources in order to preserve and protect them through prudent management.

3. a district, river, forest, etc., under such supervision.

4. the careful utilization of a natural resource in order to prevent depletion.

5. the restoration and preservation of works of art.

conservation

/ ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of conserving or keeping from change, loss, injury, etc

2. 1. protection, preservation, and careful management of natural resources and of the environment

   2. ( as modifier )

      a conservation area

conservation

1. The protection, preservation, management, or restoration of natural environments and the ecological communities that inhabit them. Conservation is generally held to include the management of human use of natural resources for current public benefit and sustainable social and economic utilization.

Other Word Forms

• conservational adjective
• anticonservation noun
• nonconservation noun
• nonconservational adjective
• proconservation adjective
• self-conservation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of conservation¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English conservacioun, from Latin conservātiōn- (stem of conservātiō ), equivalent to conservāt(us) (past participle of conservāre “to save, preserve”) + -iōn- noun suffix; conserve, -ate ¹, -ion

Example Sentences

Edgley wrote on social media after completing the swim that it "wasn't just a swim" but also a "scientific expedition for ocean conservation".

From BBC

Back in 2023, Unesco highlighted its concerns and called on Egypt to stop developments, check their impact and produce a conservation plan.

From BBC

In some cases, it has resulted in sites being partially closed to the public and planned conservation work being postponed to prioritise repairs.

From BBC

Catherine and William will also be shown how technology is being used to inform the Natural History Museum's research diversity projects and conservation.

From BBC

“Our goal is to put on a good experience and pass on knowledge of exploration, conservation and also mindfulness,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• care 
• conservancy 
• control 
• maintenance 
• management 
• protection 
• supervision