preservative
/prɪˈzɜː.və.tɪv/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A preservative is a substance added to food, medicine, or other products to stop them from going bad or spoiling too quickly.
- This jam has no artificial preservative.
- They added preservative to keep the sauce fresh longer.
adjective
If something is preservative, it helps keep things in good condition or prevents damage. This use is more formal.
- The cream has preservative qualities.
- Cold storage has a preservative effect on food.
Adinary Nuance
Preservative is more specific than additive. An additive can do many jobs, but a preservative is added mainly to stop spoilage. It is also different from preservation, which is the act or process, not the substance itself.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- chất bảo quản
- Spanish
- conservante
- Chinese
- 防腐剂
- Japanese
- 保存料
- Korean
- 보존제
Etymology
Preservative comes from the verb preserve, from Latin praeservare, meaning 'to keep safe'. It entered English in the 15th century.
Common phrases
artificial preservativefood preservativepreservative-freepreservative effect
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is preservative a countable noun?
- Yes. You can say "a preservative" or "preservatives".
- What is the difference between preservative and additive?
- A preservative stops food or products from spoiling. An additive is any extra substance added for a purpose.
- Is preservative common in academic writing?
- Yes. It is common in science, health, food, and chemistry writing.
- Can preservative be used as an adjective?
- Yes, but this use is less common and more formal.