conservationaladj.
/ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃn̩(ə)l/, /ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən(ə)l/, U.S. /ˌkɑnsərˈveɪʃən(ə)l/ That conserves or tends to conserve (in various senses); (also) of or relating to conservation.
ΚΠ
1834 Christian Observer App. 817 So much only of change as may be strictly corrective and conservational, but not rashly innovative or subvertionary.
1846 J. E. Worcester Universal Dict. Eng. Lang. Conservational, tending to preserve.
1861 A. J. Davis Great Harmonia (ed. 5) V. i. 22 Organizations of this stamp repudiate the healthy, natural, just, restraints imposed by the conservational influence of truth.
1868 Daily News 24 Oct. (Electronic text) What is the conservative or conservational creed?
1941 Ecology 22 38/1 The purpose of this study was to determine some of the soil conservational values of a protective algal crust.
1988 Architects' Jrnl. 20 Jan. 21/1 Conservational rebuilding and refurbishment, attracting local civic awards.
2004 I. M. Banks Algebraist (2005) i. 63 They misplaced their ruthlessness and came over all coy and conservational.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1834