How to pronounce preserve
Say it like pruh-ZURV. Preserve has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ZURV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce preserve. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pruh
- ZURV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Preserve pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- pruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- ZURVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of preserve
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: prih-ZURV.
What does preserve mean?
- keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last“preserve the peace in the family”“continue the family tradition”
- keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction“We preserve these archeological findings”“The old lady could not keep up the building”
- to keep up and reserve for personal or special use“She saved the old family photographs in a drawer”
- a domain that seems to be specially reserved for someone“medicine is no longer a male preserve”
- a reservation where animals are protected
- fruit preserved by cooking with sugar
Where does preserve come from?
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”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with preserve
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of preserve.
Questions about saying preserve
How do you pronounce preserve?
Say pruh-ZURV. The American pronunciation is /prəˈzɝv/. In British English it is /prɪˈzɜːv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in preserve?
Preserve has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ZURV). Broken into parts: pruh · ZURV.
Is preserve pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /prɪˈzɜːv/ (prih-ZURV).