preserves
n. C / Un. food, usually fruit or vegetables, that is cooked with sugar or vinegar and kept in jars to stay fresh for a long time.
n. preparations of fruit or vegetables that have been processed, typically by boiling with sugar or pickling, to prevent spoilage. Often used in the plural form to refer to the contents of jars like jam or marmalade.
She makes delicious strawberry preserves every summer.
The pantry was stocked with various preserves, including pickled onions and homemade apricot jam.
While commercial jams are widely available, many people still prefer the artisanal quality of small-batch preserves made from locally sourced, seasonal fruit.
Commonly used in the plural form when referring to jars of food; the singular form 'preserve' is more common in British English for the same concept.