conservation

noun

con·​ser·​va·​tion ˌkän(t)-sər-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce conservation (audio)
1
: a careful preservation and protection of something
especially : planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect
water conservation
wildlife conservation
2
: the preservation of a physical quantity during transformations or reactions
conservational adjective

Examples of conservation in a Sentence

They are trying to raise money for conservation. the conservation of the environment She specializes in the conservation of furniture. the conservation of religious shrines
Recent Examples on the Web Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park, Tanzania Aside from traveling to Tanzania to hike Mount Kilimanjaro, many make the trip to see the country's incredible wildlife conservation sites and national parks. Claudia Fisher, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 Hopefully, the blacktip reef shark finds a lifeline in the careful implementation of conservation policies guided by the insights gained from this groundbreaking study. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Explore Duck 10 of 18 Nags Head The first stop on the Outer Banks for many, Nags Head has beautiful beaches with free parking, an iconic fishing pier with a conservation focus, and a funky arts and culture scene. Tracey Minkin, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2024 Orcas Have Social Trends Like Us, And This One Could Get Dangerous For Boats A Changing Ecosystem Understanding orca's predatory behaviors will help experts know how to conserve marine ecosystems and adapt to new conservation strategies. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 The courtroom drama continued with the Indiana Attorney General claiming the conservation officer's actions in the case wasn't part of his job so the state wasn't liable for the false arrest judgment — a contention the supreme court rejected. Tim Evans, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2024 In the aftermath of the blackout, for example, some Texans received massive electricity bills because the PUC had raised prices during the storm in an effort to increase conservation. Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb. 2024 Plans showed the project would have required as much as 450,000 acre-feet of water, an amount conservation groups feared would seriously deplete the region's groundwater resources. The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 After a few months, the owls were transferred to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s bird conservation center, where they were eventually paired with the other two owls that were released Tuesday — older birds that acted as mentors, Wisinski explained. Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conservation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conservacioun "maintenance in good condition," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French conservacion "preservation, protection," borrowed from Latin conservātiōn-, conservātiō "action of keeping intact or unharmed, preservation," from conservāre "to save or keep from danger, preserve, keep unchanged" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at conserve entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conservation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near conservation

Cite this Entry

“Conservation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conservation. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conservation

noun
con·​ser·​va·​tion ˌkän(t)-sər-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce conservation (audio)
: a careful preservation and protection of something
especially : planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, pollution, destruction, or neglect

More from Merriam-Webster on conservation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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