Preservative (from Latin praeservare, “preserve,” “prevent”) was originally a term from the technical language of medicine, which then was borrowed into other areas. German Präservativ in the sense of condom did not become common until the 19th century (see 3. below).
Originally, a preservative was understood to be “a medicine that protects against diseases and forestalls them” (means of protection, Latin remedium mali imminentis, “remedy against an immine…