conservatorship

American  

[kuhn-sur-vuh-ter-ship] / kənˈsɜr və tər ʃɪp /

noun

1. the position of being a conservator, especially a person who repairs, restores, or maintains the condition of objects in a museum, library, etc..

   The program will give participants an opportunity to get a feel for the level of precision and care necessary for a career in museum conservatorship.

2. Law. an agreement or order under which one person or entity controls the personal and financial affairs of another, such as a minor or someone who is considered legally incapable of managing their own affairs.

   She's under a court-approved conservatorship that oversees every significant purchase and every key decision that she wants to make.

3. Law. an agreement whereby a business or financial entity is placed under the control of another entity, usually temporarily and often as a result of prior or impending failure.

   This week, a bipartisan coalition in the legislature is demanding that the agency’s leaders be replaced and the agency be put under an independent conservatorship.

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Etymology

Origin of conservatorship

conservator ( def. ) + -ship ( def. )

Explanation

When a judge appoints a guardian to manage another person's money, it's called a conservatorship. When a court establishes a conservatorship, it's meant to protect someone who is unable to care for themselves or make their own financial decisions. That can be because they're too young, or because they have a mental illness or a condition like dementia. A conservatorship can be an elderly person's grown child managing their finances, or a guardian assisting someone who has developmental disabilities. The Latin root of conservatorship means "keeper" or "defender."

Example Sentences

“The likelihood that someone would go through that entire process all the way up to yearlong conservatorship, it’s low,” Tsai said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Still, news on the companies’ long-running government conservatorship is scarce.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

For 13 years until 2021, Spears was in a conservatorship – a legal guardianship under which her finances and personal life were controlled by her father.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

A last resort would be a conservatorship, which is an involuntary process and takes place when a person is unable to take care of their finances.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

A conservatorship system for homeless veterans would create a legal pathway for placements into exactly those kinds of controlled environments.

From Slate • Mar. 12, 2026