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con·ser·va·tion

(kŏn′sûr-vāshən)

1. The act or process of conserving.

a. Preservation or restoration from loss, damage, or neglect: manuscripts saved from deterioration under the program of library conservation.

b. The protection, preservation, management, or restoration of wildlife and of natural resources such as forests, soil, and water.

3. The maintenance of a physical quantity, such as energy or mass, during a physical or chemical change.

con′ser·vation·al adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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