WordGarden.ioliver
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /lˈɪvə/
US
- /ˈlɪvər/
Meanings
Noun
the large organ that processes substances in the body
the edible liver of an animal used as food
Beyond the definition
The liver is a very important organ in the body. It cleans the blood, helps break down food, stores energy, and makes bile, which helps with digestion. In everyday English, this is by far the most common meaning. When people talk about liver problems, liver disease, or taking care of your liver, they mean this organ.
There is also a much rarer, older meaning: a liver can mean a person who lives in a certain way, especially in fixed phrases. For example, older English used expressions such as "high liver." The word also appears in old-fashioned descriptive terms like "liverish" and "lily-livered." These are not the main modern uses, but you may still come across them in books or historical writing.
The liver is a large organ in the body, found on the upper right side of the abdomen. It is essential for life. It filters the blood, helps remove harmful substances, stores and releases energy, makes bile for digestion, and supports many chemical processes that keep the body working properly. This is the standard and overwhelmingly common meaning of the word in modern English.
The word also has a second meaning, though it is now rare: a liver can mean a person who lives in a particular way. This sense is mostly seen in older writing or in set expressions rather than in ordinary conversation. Because of that, learners should treat it as a historical or literary use, not the main one to remember.
The word has also left its mark on English through older expressions. "Liverish" can describe someone as irritable or unwell, based on the old belief that trouble with this organ affected a person's mood. "Lily-livered" means cowardly. These expressions help explain why the word sometimes appears in language about personality, even though its main meaning is still the body organ.
Examples
- 1
Medical check
The doctor said his liver looked healthy.
- 2
Alcohol risk
Heavy drinking can damage the liver.
- 3
Blood tests
She has regular blood tests to check her liver function.
- 4
Transplant
He is waiting for a liver transplant.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Food
My grandmother fries liver with onions.
- 6
Humorous complaint
After they forgot to invite me, I joked, "What am I, chopped liver?"
- PhraseWhat am I, chopped liver?
used jokingly when you feel ignored or unimportant
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- livernounadjective
Forms
- liverspluralnounadjective