preservative
preservative Lexical Profile
preservative Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A chemical or natural substance added to food, wood, pharmaceuticals, or biological samples to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or undesirable chemical changes.
"The bakery prides itself on making fresh bread without any artificial preservatives."
A measure, agent, or factor that protects against harm, decay, or moral corruption.
"Regular physical exercise acts as a reliable preservative of cognitive health in older adults."
• adjective
Serving or tending to preserve, protect, or prevent decay or decomposition.
"Salt and vinegar have been valued for their natural preservative properties since antiquity."
• Rhymes for preservative
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French 'preservatif' and Medieval Latin 'praeservativus', from Latin 'praeservare' ('to guard beforehand'), composed of 'prae-' ('before') and 'servare' ('to keep safe').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.