Meanings
plural conserves
- Wilderness where human development is prohibited.
Synonyms: preserve, national park
- A jam or thick syrup made from fruit and sugar.
I shall […] study broths, plasters, and conserves, till from a fine lady I become a notable woman.
1709 August 21 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele et al.], “Wednesday, August 11, 1709”, in The Tatler, number 53; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], London stereotype edition, volume I, London: I. Walker and Co.; […], 1822, →OCLC - obsoleteA medicinal confection made of freshly gathered vegetable substances mixed with finely powdered refined sugar.
- obsoleteA conservatory.
water[…]alwayes placed in the Conserve
c. 1700, John Evelyn, Elysium Britannicum
present singular third person conserves · participle present conserving · participle past conserved · past conserved
- transitiveTo save for later use, sometimes by the use of a preservative.
to conserve fruits with sugar
2 more examples
the amity which […] they meant to conserve and maintain with the emperor
1721, John Strype, Ecclesiastical Memorials; Relating Chiefly to Religion, and the Reformation of It, and the Emergencies of the Church of England, under King Henry VIII. King Edward VI. and Queen Mary the First. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] John Wyat, […], →OCLCAlso the Russian lines over which these locomotives run pass through long stretches of waterless country, where the only alternative to hauling additional water-tank wagons is to conserve the water supply by condensing.
1946 January and February, “The Why and The Wherefore: Condensing Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 62 - transitiveTo protect an environment, heritage, etc.
1 more example
Two entrants shared this award for their work on two quite different stations, but with the same purpose of bringing a redundant station building back into use for the benefit of the community, with the added result of conserving an historic building. Saltash Town Council bought Saltash station building after it had become very decrepit and 'an eyesore' - such that it was nearly pulled down to make way for housing.
2021 December 15, Robin Leleux, “Awards honour the best restoration projects: The Network Rail Community Award: Saltash and Stow”, in RAIL, number 946, page 58 - intransitivechemistryTo remain unchanged during a process
Synonyms & antonyms
nounWilderness where human development is prohibited.
More synonyms by meaning
verbkeep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinconservare“to keep, preserve”
- Old Frenchconserver
- Middle Englishconserven
- Englishconserve
From Middle English conserven, from Old French conserver, from Latin conservare (“to keep, preserve”), from com- (intensive prefix) + servo (“keep watch, maintain”). See also observe.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian резерват, конфитюр
- резерват (rezervat)wilderness where human development is prohibited
- конфитюр (konfitjur)A jam or thick syrup made from fruit
- сладко (sladko)A jam or thick syrup made from fruit
- консервирам (konserviram)to save for later use
- запазвам (zapazvam)to save for later use
- защитавам (zaštitavam)to protect
- опазвам (opazvam)to protect
Catalan conservar, conservar
- conservarto save for later use
- conservarto protect
Dutch reservaat, natuurreservaat
- reservaatwilderness where human development is prohibited
- natuurreservaatwilderness where human development is prohibited
Esperanto konservi
- konservito save for later use
Estonian moos
- moosA jam or thick syrup made from fruit
Finnish säilöä, säilyttää
- säilöäto save for later use
- säilyttääto protect
French conserver, conserver
- conserverto save for later use
- conserverto protect
Hungarian természetvédelmi terület, lekvár
- természetvédelmi területwilderness where human development is prohibited
- lekvárA jam or thick syrup made from fruit
- ízA jam or thick syrup made from fruit
- dzsemA jam or thick syrup made from fruit
Italian conservare, conservare
- conservareto save for later use
- conservareto protect
Japanese 節約する, 保存する
- 節約する (setsuyaku-suru)to save for later use
- 保存する (hozon-suru)to protect
Latin conservō
- conservōto save for later use
Māori whāomo, whāomoomo
- whāomoto protect
- whāomoomoto protect
- whakaomoomoto protect
Polish konserwować, zakonserwować
- konserwowaćto save for later use
- zakonserwowaćto save for later use
Portuguese reserva, conservar
- reservawilderness where human development is prohibited
- conservarto save for later use
- conservarto protect
Russian сохраня́ть, сохрани́ть
- сохраня́ть (soxranjátʹ)to save for later use
- сохрани́ть (soxranítʹ)to save for later use
- консерви́ровать (konservírovatʹ)to save for later use
- законсерви́ровать (zakonservírovatʹ)to save for later use
- охраня́ть (oxranjátʹ)to protect
- охрани́ть (oxranítʹ)to protect
- защища́ть (zaščiščátʹ)to protect
- защити́ть (zaščitítʹ)to protect
Spanish parque nacional, reservar
- parque nacionalwilderness where human development is prohibited
- reservarto save for later use
- conservarto save for later use
- conservarto protect
- captenerto protect
Swahili ifadhi, ifadhi
- ifadhito save for later use
- ifadhito protect
Swedish bevara
- bevarato protect
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with conserve
Anagrams
Cite this entry
conserve. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conserve
“conserve.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conserve. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “conserve,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conserve.
Source: conserve on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.