Preserver
|pre-serv-er|
🇺🇸
/prɪˈzɝvər/
🇬🇧
/prɪˈzɜːvə/
(preserve)
maintain original state
Etymology
'preserver' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'praeservare' (later 'preservare'), where the prefix 'prae-' (or 'pre-') meant 'before' and 'servare' meant 'to keep, guard'.
'praeservare' in Latin passed into Old French (as forms like 'preserver') and Middle English (as 'preserven'/'preserve'), and the agent noun was formed in English as 'preserver' from the verb 'preserve' + agent suffix '-er'.
Initially related to the idea of 'keeping beforehand' or 'guarding in advance'; over time it evolved into the general sense 'one who keeps or protects', which is the modern meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person or thing that preserves, protects, or maintains something from decay, loss, or harm.
The curator acted as a preserver of the town's historical records.
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Noun 2
a substance or agent that preserves food or other perishable items (less common; often called a 'preservative').
Before refrigeration, salt was widely used as a preserver of fish.
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Last updated: 2025/12/12 05:58