preservationist

American  

[prez-er-vey-shuh-nist] / ˌprɛz ərˈveɪ ʃə nɪst /

noun

1. a person who advocates or promotes preservation, especially of wildlife, natural areas, or historical places.

   A group of historic preservationists is working to keep the old meeting house intact by turning it into a haven for scholars, researchers, and academics.

---

Other Word Forms

• preservationism noun

Etymology

Origin of preservationist

1925–30; preservation ( def. ) + -ist

Example Sentences

“That’s Mecca,” said Ted Barrow, a skateboarder and architectural preservationist who has defended the fountain at public hearings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026

Jamaica is "unprepared to cope effectively" with major storms, Dr Patricia Green, an architect and preservationist based in Kingston told the BBC.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2025

“Elections were such a big deal, they were an all day affair,” says King, who began her career as a historic preservationist.

From Salon • Oct. 22, 2024

In the meantime, Tchir is continuing his role as digital preservationist, documenting the stories of long-ago Olympians on his personal project.

From Slate • Aug. 4, 2024

Teresa Grimes, a historic preservationist who worked with Sony on the renovation project, suspects that the Scenic Arts building was overlooked as a historic building in part due to its plain exterior.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2024

Related Words

• biologist
• botanist
• conservationist
• ecologist
• environmentalist
• zoologist