preservative

B2 Topic:Food & Drink

US /prɪˈzɝvətɪv/ UK /prɪˈzɜːvətɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #49319

Meanings

1

noun
a substance added to food, medicine, wood, or another material to prevent decay, spoilage, or deterioration

The sauce contains no artificial preservative and must be refrigerated after opening.
2

noun
a thing or measure that protects against harm, loss, or an unwanted condition; formal or historical

For Charlotte, marriage seemed a preservative against poverty and dependence.
3

adj
tending or intended to preserve something

The conservator applied a thin preservative coating to the wooden frame.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a substance added to food,... preserving agentstabilizer

2 noun · a thing or measure that... safeguard protection

3 adj · tending or intended to... protective conserving

Word family

Derived forms biopreservativecryopreservative

Related forms preserve preservation additiveantioxidant

Etymology

From Old French preservatif and Medieval Latin praeservativus, from Latin praeservare, 'to guard beforehand,' itself prae- ('before') + servare ('to keep safe'). The adjective came first; the noun developed for anything, especially a substance, that performs that protective function.

Topics

Food & Drink

External links

# preservative

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /prɪˈzɝvətɪv/
**IPA (UK):** /prɪˈzɜːvətɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 49319

## Meanings
1. a substance added to food, medicine, wood, or another material to prevent decay, spoilage, or deterioration
2. a thing or measure that protects against harm, loss, or an unwanted condition; formal or historical
3. tending or intended to preserve something

## Examples
- The sauce contains no artificial preservative and must be refrigerated after opening.
- For Charlotte, marriage seemed a preservative against poverty and dependence.
- The conservator applied a thin preservative coating to the wooden frame.

## Synonyms
- preserving agent
- stabilizer
- safeguard
- protective

## Derived Forms
- biopreservative
- cryopreservative

## Related Forms
- preserve
- preservation
- additive
- antioxidant

## Etymology
From Old French preservatif and Medieval Latin praeservativus, from Latin praeservare, 'to guard beforehand,' itself prae- ('before') + servare ('to keep safe'). The adjective came first; the noun developed for anything, especially a substance, that performs that protective function.

## Topics
- Food & Drink

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