preservation
n. uncountablen. the act of keeping something in its original state or in good condition. You use this when talking about protecting nature, old buildings, or even food so it does not spoil.
n. the act of maintaining something in its original or existing state; the protection of cultural or biological assets from decay or destruction.
The preservation of old buildings is important for our history.
Local groups are fighting for the preservation of the wetlands to protect rare bird species from urban development.
The museum employs advanced climate control systems to ensure the long-term preservation of delicate Renaissance tapestries that would otherwise deteriorate in humid conditions.
From Old French preservacion, from Medieval Latin preservatio. Morphologically preserve + -ation.
Frequently followed by the preposition 'of' to indicate the object being protected.