conservationist
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- anticonservationist noun
- proconservationist adjective
Etymology
Origin of conservationist
First recorded in 1865–70; conservation + -ist
Compare meaning
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Explanation
A conservationist is someone who protects animals, plants, or their habitats. Some conservationists clean seabirds after oil spills in the ocean, while others are teachers who educate students about environmental issues. If you care about preserving wildlife and the environment, you might want to be a conservationist. As a job, this can mean working as a wildlife biologist, an environmental political lobbyist, a forestry technician, or a park ranger — all professions that involve the care and protection of land, waters, and animals. You're also a conservationist if you volunteer at a local wildlife rehabilitation center or regularly call your state representatives to encourage their votes on environmental legislation.
Vocabulary lists containing conservationist
Workshop 2, Part 2
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for September 4–September 10, 2021
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 4–October 10, 2025
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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.
A keen conservationist, he drove more than 90 minutes from his Surrey home with the sole purpose of seeing one.
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
"Revoking permits is not immediately a win," said Panut Hadisiswoyo, a conservationist and orangutan specialist.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
She is now an animal-rights activist and conservationist.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025
Considered by many as the most famous broadcaster and conservationist of our time, Sir David has circled the globe for 70 years to show us the brilliance of the natural world.
From BBC • Dec. 18, 2025
In science, we watch a documentary about Rachel Carson, the conservationist who wrote a book called Silent Spring.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
