Standard Lemma guide

conserve

noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • kŏn'sû(r)v
  • /ˈkɒnsɜː(ɹ)v/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒnsɜː(ɹ)v
  • kən-sû(r)v'
  • /kənˈsɜː(ɹ)v/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)v
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH0 N S ER1 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Wilderness where human development is prohibited.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A jam or thick syrup made from fruit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A medicinal confection made of freshly gathered vegetable substances mixed with finely powdered refined sugar.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A conservatory.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To save for later use, sometimes by the use of a preservative.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • to conserve fruits with sugar

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To protect an environment, heritage, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To remain unchanged during a process

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

fruit preserved by cooking with sugar

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: preserve, conserves, preserves

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: confiture

Narrower terms: apple butter, chowchow, jam, lemon curd, lemon cheese, jelly, marmalade

9

verb

Meaning 9

preserve with sugar

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Mom always conserved the strawberries we grew in the backyard

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: preserve, keep

10

verb

Meaning 10

use cautiously and frugally

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I try to economize my spare time
  • conserve your energy for the ascent to the summit

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: husband, economize, economise

Antonyms: waste

Broader terms: save, preserve

Narrower terms: retrench

11

verb

Meaning 11

keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We preserve these archeological findings
  • The old lady could not keep up the building
  • children must be taught to conserve our national heritage
  • The museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: preserve, maintain, keep up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: keep

Narrower terms: embalm, plastinate, hold the line

12

verb

Meaning 12

keep constant through physical or chemical reactions or evolutionary change

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Energy is conserved in this process

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: keep, maintain, hold

History

Etymology

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.

Across languages

Translations

57 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: резерват (rezervat) — wilderness where human development is prohibited
  • Dutch: reservaat — wilderness where human development is prohibited
  • Dutch: natuurreservaat — wilderness where human development is prohibited
  • Hungarian: természetvédelmi terület — wilderness where human development is prohibited
  • Macedonian: резерват (rezervat) — wilderness where human development is prohibited
  • Portuguese: reserva — wilderness where human development is prohibited
  • Spanish: parque nacional — wilderness where human development is prohibited
  • Bulgarian: конфитюр (konfitjur) — A jam or thick syrup made from fruit
  • Bulgarian: сладко (sladko) — A jam or thick syrup made from fruit
  • Estonian: moos — A jam or thick syrup made from fruit
  • Hungarian: lekvár — A jam or thick syrup made from fruit
  • Hungarian: íz — A jam or thick syrup made from fruit
  • Hungarian: dzsem — A jam or thick syrup made from fruit
  • Belarusian: кансервава́ць (kansjervavácʹ) — to save for later use
  • Bulgarian: консервирам (konserviram) — to save for later use
  • Bulgarian: запазвам (zapazvam) — to save for later use
  • Catalan: conservar — to save for later use
  • Esperanto: konservi — to save for later use
  • Finnish: säilöä — to save for later use
  • French: conserver — to save for later use
  • Galician: conservar — to save for later use
  • Ido: konservar — to save for later use
  • Italian: conservare — to save for later use
  • Japanese: 節約する (setsuyaku-suru) — to save for later use
  • Latin: conservō — to save for later use
  • Neapolitan: stipà — to save for later use
  • Polish: konserwować — to save for later use
  • Polish: zakonserwować — to save for later use
  • Portuguese: conservar — to save for later use
  • Russian: сохраня́ть (soxranjátʹ) — to save for later use
  • Russian: сохрани́ть (soxranítʹ) — to save for later use
  • Russian: консерви́ровать (konservírovatʹ) — to save for later use
  • Russian: законсерви́ровать (zakonservírovatʹ) — to save for later use
  • Spanish: reservar — to save for later use
  • Spanish: conservar — to save for later use
  • Swahili: ifadhi — to save for later use
  • Bulgarian: защитавам (zaštitavam) — to protect
  • Bulgarian: опазвам (opazvam) — to protect
  • Catalan: conservar — to protect
  • Finnish: säilyttää — to protect
  • French: conserver — to protect
  • Galician: conservar — to protect
  • Ido: konservar — to protect
  • Italian: conservare — to protect
  • Japanese: 保存する (hozon-suru) — to protect
  • Māori: whāomo — to protect
  • Māori: whāomoomo — to protect
  • Māori: whakaomoomo — to protect
  • Portuguese: conservar — to protect
  • Russian: охраня́ть (oxranjátʹ) — to protect
  • Russian: охрани́ть (oxranítʹ) — to protect
  • Russian: защища́ть (zaščiščátʹ) — to protect
  • Russian: защити́ть (zaščitítʹ) — to protect
  • Spanish: conservar — to protect
  • Spanish: captener — to protect
  • Swahili: ifadhi — to protect
  • Swedish: bevara — to protect
Real reading context

conserve in complete knowledge articles