well-preserved

[wel-pri-zurvd]

adjective

1. having been maintained in good condition; preserving a good or healthy appearance.

   a well-preserved manuscript; a well-preserved elderly couple.

well-preserved

adjective

1. kept in a good condition

2. continuing to appear youthful

   she was a well-preserved old lady

Word History and Origins

Origin of well-preserved¹

First recorded in 1850–55

Idioms and Phrases

Aging gracefully, still in good condition, as in I can't believe she's 65; she's certainly well preserved. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Maloney provided exceptionally well-preserved seaweed fossils that are roughly one billion years old, collected from Yukon Territory, Canada.

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"We gained access to exceptionally well-preserved mammoth tissues unearthed from the Siberian permafrost, which we hoped would still contain RNA molecules frozen in time," adds Emilio Mármol.

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Even those of us with well-preserved memories forget far more than we remember.

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What followed was a "discovery of such a diverse and well-preserved set of artifacts, which exceeded our expectations," Dr. Karahan says.

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SB 79 allows the state to upzone historic districts, paving the way for the demolition of well-preserved Victorian houses, Arts and Crafts bungalows and Spanish Colonial Revival homes.

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Related Words

• unspoiled