conservator

noun

con·​ser·​va·​tor kən-ˈsər-və-tər 

-və-ˌtȯr;

ˈkän(t)-sər-ˌvā-tər

1

a

: one that preserves from injury or violation : protector

b

: one that is responsible for the care, restoration, and repair of archival or museum articles

2

: a person, official, or institution designated to take over and protect the interests of an incompetent

3

: an official charged with the protection of something affecting public welfare and interests

conservatorial

kən-ˌsər-və-ˈtȯr-ē-əl 

(ˌ)kän-

adjective

conservatorship

kən-ˈsər-və-tər-ˌship 

-və-ˌtȯr-;

ˈkän(t)-sər-ˌvā-tər-

noun

Examples of conservator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The paintings were largely forgotten until Ebell executive director Stacy Brightman hired a conservator to find them. —The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 26 Mar. 2025

He’s got some farm-boy roots to his name Maroney was born in New York City but raised in rural Leicester, Vermont, where his parents—art dealer James Maroney and paintings conservator Suki Fredericks—opened the 750-acre, all-organic Oliver Hill Farm in 1990. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025

In late January, Pinfield’s daughter Jessica Pinfield filed a petition in L.A. County Superior Court to become conservator of her father and his estate. —Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025

The abduction was part of a scheme to become conservators of the patient for financial gain, police said. —Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conservatour "legal custodian, protector, guardian," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French conservatour, conservator, borrowed from Latin conservātōr-, conservātor "one who preserves, savior" (Medieval Latin, "official custodian, keeper"), from conservāre "to save or keep from danger, preserve" + -tōr-, -tor, agent suffix — more at conserve entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for conservator

• servitor

Legal Definition

conservator

noun

con·​ser·​va·​tor kən-ˈsər-və-tər, ˈkän-sər-ˌvā- 

1

: a person, official, or institution appointed by a court to take over and manage the estate of an incompetent compare committee, curator, guardian, receiver, tutor

2

: a public official charged with the protection of something affecting public welfare and interests

specifically : an official placed in charge of a bank because its affairs are not in a satisfactory condition

conservatorship noun