conservancy

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: con=serv=an=cy

CIDE DICTIONARY

conservancy, n. 

 Conservation, as from injury, defilement, or irregular use.  [1913 Webster]
"[An act was] passed in 1866, for vesting in the Conservators of the River Thames the conservancy of the Thames and Isis."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

conservancy, n. (pl. -ies)
1 Brit. a commission etc. controlling a port, river, etc. (Thames Conservancy).
2 a body concerned with the preservation of natural resources (Nature Conservancy).
3 conservation; official preservation (of forests etc.).

Etymology

18th-c. alt. of obs. conservacy f. AF conservacie f. AL conservatia f. L conservatio (as conserve)