Past tense of conserve; protected, preserved, or kept safe from damage, loss, or change.
From Latin conservare 'to keep safe or preserve' (con- 'with' + servare 'to keep'). The word entered English in the 14th century and remains common in environmental and preservation contexts.
When biologists say DNA is 'conserved' across species, they mean evolution hasn't changed it much—it's so useful that nature itself is being conservative!
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