preservation

noun

pres·​er·​va·​tion ˌpre-zər-ˈvā-shən 

: the act, process, or result of preserving something: such as

a

: the activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay

preservation of state parks/monuments

preservation of an old tradition

The special emphasis of recent years on preservation continued in 1988. More than 8,000 brittle volumes (1.5 million pages) were committed to microfilm; an additional 777 rare books, manuscripts, and historical films received special conservation treatment.

—Library and Book Trade Almanac

These and so many lesser red flags seem finally to be shifting public interest toward the preservation of wildlife and natural habitats.

—E. Annie Proulx

b

: the preparation of food for future use (as by canning, pickling, or freezing) to prevent spoilage

the use of salt in the preservation of meat

In the years following the first Earth Day in 1970, a contingent of Americans insisted on developing pesticide-free systems of farming and anti-chemical methods of food preservation and preparation.

—Tibbett L. Speer

Synonyms of preservation

• preserving
• maintenance

Examples of preservation in a Sentence

each curator is responsible for the preservation of the works of art within his or her department

the preservation of the tropical rainforests is a global responsibility

Recent Examples on the Web

On April 15, the city’s preservation commission voted to support nominating the hotel for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, a program of the National Park Service. —Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2026

Proceeds from the event, one of the Historical Society’s key fundraisers, go toward its free public programs, school tours and preservation of its Wisteria Cottage gallery. —Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026

Using the powdered version available in the cleaning or food preservation aisle is more effective, but undiluted lemon juice can also be used. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 25 Apr. 2026

The project is one of the last in the county that will be funded by current Land and Water Legacy Program funds; voters approved the Land and Water Legacy program in November 2006, authorizing up to $20 million in taxes to be raised and spent on parks, land preservation and water protection. —Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing preservation

• preservation order
• self-preservation
• state of preservation

Rhymes for preservation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

preservation

noun

pres·​er·​va·​tion

ˌprez-ər-ˈvā-shən

: a keeping from injury, loss, or decay