preservar
preserve
Definition & meaning
Preservar means to preserve, protect, or keep something safe from harm, loss, or deterioration. It can refer to physical things, nature, health, or abstract things such as traditions and rights.
- Es importante preservar el medio ambiente. — It is important to protect the environment.
- El museo preserva documentos antiguos. — The museum preserves old documents.
It can also mean to prevent food from spoiling, although conservar is more common in this context.
Grammar & Word origin
Preservar is a regular -ar verb. Its past participle is preservado.
It comes from Latin praeservare, formed from prae- (“before” or “in advance”) and servare (“to keep” or “protect”).
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- conservar — “to keep” or “preserve”; it often emphasizes maintaining something in its existing condition.
- proteger — “to protect”; it emphasizes shielding someone or something from danger.
- mantener — “to maintain”; it is broader and does not necessarily imply protection from harm.
Antonyms
- destruir — “to destroy”; the opposite of keeping something intact.
- dañar — “to damage”; to cause harm rather than prevent it.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Es importante preservar la naturaleza para el futuro.verb
It is important to preserve nature for the future.
¿Cómo podemos preservar el patrimonio cultural de nuestra ciudad?verb
How can we preserve the cultural heritage of our city?
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