conservator
Americannoun
-
a person who repairs, restores, or maintains the condition of objects, as paintings or sculptures in an art museum, or books in a library.
-
Law. a guardian; a custodian.
-
British. a person employed by a conservancy commission; a conservation worker.
noun
Other Word Forms
- conservatorial adjective
- conservatorship noun
- subconservator noun
Etymology
Origin of conservator
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin, equivalent to conservā(re) “to keep safe; preserve” + -tor agent suffix; see conserve -tor
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.
To apply to be a conservator, you need to file a petition with the probate court in the county where he lives.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
"Their contribution was critical to identifying individual animals," says Goldy Chhabra, deputy conservator of forests with the Spiti Wildlife Division.
From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026
A conservator uncovers the shard, which bears an intense blue figure of a skylark — evidence, at least to the reader, that Alouette’s recipe endured, and a symbol of how both she and Sasha escaped.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026
In the 1960s, the aptly named conservator Ottorino Nonfarmale—“do no harm”—successfully transferred the painting from its fragile wood panel to a stable support system.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026
Eventually, the student sorters were joined by six local glass menders, a professional glass conservator, and two illustrators.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
