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Synonyms

conservation

American  
[kon-ser-vey-shuhn] / ˌkɒn sərˈveɪ ʃən /

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 British  
/ ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən /

noun

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

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

    2. ( as modifier )

      a conservation area

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

conservation Scientific  
/ kŏn′sûr-vāshən /
  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

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

Etymology

Origin of conservation

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

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

At the same time, conservation efforts in San Diego County have reduced water needs.

From Los Angeles Times

It was classed as a "category one" incident, meaning it had a "major effect" on either water quality, human health, conservation or businesses.

From BBC

He is also a High Nature Value farm adviser for conservation charity Ulster Wildlife.

From BBC

All proceeds help fund the club’s college scholarships, junior gardeners programs, local conservation groups and civic beautification projects in San Clemente.

From Los Angeles Times

Marosi emphasized that understanding how sharks interact socially could play an important role in conservation planning and management strategies.

From Science Daily