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

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.

From Los Angeles Times

A shepherd stumbled upon the body, which was remarkably well-preserved, with its clothing intact, in the so-called Lady Valley in the country's east.

From BBC

As his team dug deeper, they found the well-preserved remains in a pit in what appeared to be a meditative posture.

From BBC

A hag is an older woman who is not “well-preserved,” whose breasts sag and whose skin hangs loose and crepey over deteriorating muscles.

From Salon

But the well-preserved mummy also brought some surprises.

From NewsForKids.net

Related Words

• unspoiled