preservation

American  

[prez-er-vey-shuhn] / ˌprɛz ərˈveɪ ʃən /

noun

preservations plural

1. the act or process of keeping something in existence.

   The creation, stabilization, and preservation of quality long-term affordable housing is a critical step in maintaining a healthy community.

2. the act or process of keeping something safe from damage or deterioration.

   The facilities include air-conditioned storage vaults for optimum preservation of the historic film archive.

   The natural growth of population continuously presents problems for the preservation of the environment.

3. the process of preparing food or other perishables to resist spoilage or decomposition.

   Historic techniques of food preservation include drying, smoking, pickling, and salting.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpreservation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• preservations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of preservation

First recorded in 1400–50; from Medieval Latin praeservātion-, stem of praeservātio “a guarding,” equivalent to praeservāt-, stem of praeservāre + Latin -iō -ion ( def. ); see preserve ( def. )

Explanation

Use the noun preservation to refer to the protection of something — especially from loss, injury, or danger. You might fight for the preservation of the woodlands near your house because of all the animals that live there. Preservation is also a process that keeps organic things from decomposing. If the preservation of the flowers in your prom corsage is important to you, you can dry the flowers to keep them from decaying. If you dry them, they'll probably last longer than your relationship with your high school boyfriend! The word preservation is often used when referring to historic preservation, which is the protection of buildings and sites of historic significance.

Example Sentences

Many of them use preservation techniques that would have been known to that migrant population.

From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026

The result is less salad than preservation: tender beans suspended in a fragrant pool of olive oil that’s perfect for spooning over toast or scooping up with vegetables.

From Salon • Jun. 16, 2026

Though the Roberts family’s attorneys have insisted that the buyers and sellers are in accord, preservation advocates in Riverside have called for a review of documents associated with Roberts’ purchase of the property.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

A more conservative allocation, such as 40% stocks and 60% bonds, generally prioritizes capital preservation over growth.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

The work of preservation demands that the feelings playing about in one’s guts not be turned into action.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

Related Words

• care
• conservancy
• conservation
• safeguarding
• safety
• security
• storage