# preserve

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɹəˈzɜːv/ · frequency rank #5,250

## Definitions
1. A sweet spread made of any of a variety of fruits.
2. A reservation, a nature preserve.
3. An exclusive area of activity.

## Etymology
From Middle English preserven, from Old French preserver, from Medieval Latin prēservāre (“keep, preserve”), from Late Latin praeservāre (“guard beforehand”), from prae (“before”, adverb) + servāre (“maintain, keep”).

## Easily confused with
- **preserved** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preserve-vs-preserved)
- **preserves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preserve-vs-preserves)
- **presence** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/presence-vs-preserve)

## Common misspellings (12)
`perserve`, `ppreserve`, `preesrve`, `preserev`, `preserrve`, `preservve`, `presevre`, `presreve`, `presserve`, `prreserve`, `prseerve`, `rpeserve`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/preserve