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.

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conservation British  

/ 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

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conservation Scientific  

/ kŏn′sûr-vā′shən /

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.

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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

Explanation

Conservation is when you keep something from running out — whether it's plants, animals, or resources. Your new conservation project, "Save the Pigeons," might not catch on as quickly as you'd hoped. Conservation is closely related to preservation. Both are positive words that give an impression of care and attention. Your habit of never leaving the couch might sound more impressive if you refer to it as "energy conservation."

Example Sentences

In 2024, the team collected priority crop wild relatives, said Dr Christopher Cockel, the UK conservation projects co-ordinator for the Millennium Seed Bank.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Born in 2024, Neukgu was part of a conservation programme aimed at restoring the Korean wolf, a species considered extinct in the wild, according to Reuters.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

While the Getty Center remains closed to the public, Whalen said it will be “business as usual” for the staff of the museum, its conservation and research institutes and the Getty Foundation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Ian Golding, whose parents owned “The Bounty” on Baxter Road, sat on the conservation commission and initially supported the geotubes, until the Sconset group failed to provide enough sand, among other things.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

The key to a healthy plant or animal community lies in what the British ecologist Charles Elton calls “the conservation of variety.”

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

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