From Middle English lyvere, lyver, from Old English lifer (“liver”), from Proto-West Germanic *libru, from Proto-Germanic *librō, from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to smear, smudge, stick”), from Proto-Indo-European *ley- (“to be slimy, be sticky, glide”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Líeuwer, Lieuwer (“liver”),German Leber (“liver”), Danish, Dutch, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Swedish, and West Frisian lever (“liver”), Faroese livur (“liver”), Icelandic lifur (“liver”). Related to live.
Meanings
(not-comparable) Of the colour of liver (dark brown, tinted with red and gray).
His friend Rothwell, who had the use of the best Laveracks for breeding purposes, wrote him that one of his puppies was liver and white. 2006, Rawdon Briggs Lee, A History and Description of the Modern Dogs of Great Britain & Ireland, →ISBN, page 298:
From Middle English lyvere, lyver, from Old English lifer (“liver”), from Proto-West Germanic *libru, from Proto-Germanic *librō, from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to smear, smudge, stick”), from Proto-Indo-European *ley- (“to be slimy, be sticky, glide”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Líeuwer, Lieuwer (“liver”),German Leber (“liver”), Danish, Dutch, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Swedish, and West Frisian lever (“liver”), Faroese livur (“liver”), Icelandic lifur (“liver”). Related to live.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A large organ in the body that stores and metabolizes nutrients, destroys toxins and produces bile. It is responsible for thousands of biochemical reactions.
Steve Jobs is a famous liver transplant recipient.
(countable, uncountable) This organ, as taken from animals used as food.
"I should think you've rocked the boat enough already by refusing to eat liver." 1993, Philippa Gregory, Fallen Skies, →ISBN, page 222:
I'd like some goose liver pate.
You could fry up some chicken livers for a tasty treat. — Nah, I don't like chicken liver.
(countable, uncountable) A dark brown colour, tinted with red and gray, like the colour of liver.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) Any of various chemical compounds—particularly sulfides—thought to resemble livers in color.
sh jȅtra (organ of the body) · sh jȅtra (organ as food) · fa جِگَر (organ of the body) · xug 肝 (organ of the body) · war atay (organ of the body) · zu isibindi (organ as food) · shi ⵜⴰⵙⴰ (organ of the body) · akk kabtatu (organ of the body) · se vuoivvas (organ of the body) · or ଯକୃତ (organ of the body) · ff keenye (organ of the body) · sh је̏тра (organ of the body) · aio တ︀ပ︀် (organ of the body) · osp fígado (organ of the body) · slr baqe (organ of the body) · ba бауыр (organ as food) · njo-jgl temesen (organ of the body) · bn যকৃৎ (organ of the body) · nah ēltapachtli (organ of the body) · ang lifer (organ of the body) · new सें (organ of the body) · mbl xupkũnãy (organ of the body) · cy afu (organ as food) · ce доӏахк (organ of the body) · zu isibindi (organ of the body) · to 'ate (organ of the body) · pa ਕਾਲਜਾ (organ of the body) · egl féddegh (organ of the body) · rap ꞌate (organ of the body) · smn vuoivâs (organ of the body) · ug جىگەر (organ of the body) · qu ñatin (organ of the body) · nio mitə (organ of the body) · nci ēlli (organ of the body) · dlm fecuat (organ of the body) · ab агәаҵәа (organ of the body) · ta ஈரல் (organ as food) · ps جګر (organ of the body) · rm gnirom (organ of the body) · dv ފުރަމޭ (organ of the body) · ubl atay (organ of the body) · sai-pyk ẽhmpa (organ of the body) · msk atay (organ of the body) · uz bagʻir (organ of the body) · mnw ဖျုန်ဂြိုဟ် (organ of the body) · yox 肝 (organ of the body) · ur جِگَر (organ of the body) · cdo 肝臟 /肝脏 (organ of the body) · wo res (organ of the body) · ba бауыр (organ of the body) · sn chitaka (organ of the body) · mn ᠡᠯᠢᠭᠡ (organ of the body) · nl levertjes (organ as food) · aiw tirá (organ of the body) · scn ficatu (organ of the body) · ket сеӈ (organ of the body) · kw avi (organ of the body) · xmz ate (organ of the body) · zza kezebe (organ of the body) · myv максо (organ of the body) · ms hepar (organ of the body) · yag weya (organ of the body) · ext hígau (organ of the body) · sat ᱤᱱ (organ of the body) · ruo ficåt (organ of the body) · ar كبدة (organ of the body) · frr liwer (organ of the body) · bo མཆིན (organ of the body) · cv пӗвер (organ of the body) · yo ẹ̀dọ̀ki (organ of the body) · rbl atay (organ of the body) · lb Liewer (organ of the body) · hi कलेजा (organ of the body) · pi yakana (organ of the body) · yag xipa (organ of the body) · cim lebar (organ of the body) · tab кӏару ликӏ (organ of the body) · roa-gal faie (organ of the body) · fo livur (organ of the body) · mel atai (organ of the body) · da lever (organ of the body) · kxd ati (organ of the body) · os игӕр (organ of the body) · lv aknas (organ as food) · mrw atay (organ of the body) · ady шӏу (organ of the body) · fy lever (organ of the body) · mr यकृत (organ of the body) · tet aten (organ of the body) · vo foad (organ of the body) · xal элкн (organ of the body) · tya ama (organ of the body) · udm мус (organ of the body) · la iecur (organ of the body) · gez ከብድ (organ of the body) · ka ღვიძლი (organ of the body) · de Leber (organ of the body) · krl maksa (organ of the body) · aer aleme (organ of the body) · tpi liwa (organ as food) · ast fégadu (organ of the body) · tih angkayau (organ of the body) · btn atay (organ of the body) · lv aknas (organ of the body) · akz illopi (organ of the body) · as যকৃৎ (organ of the body) · ilo dalem (organ of the body) · su ati (organ of the body) · mi ate (organ of the body) · bxd saŋ³⁵ (organ of the body) · yue 肝 (organ as food) · id merah hati (colour) · ace até (organ of the body) · pl wątróbka (organ as food) · sh džìgerica (organ as food) · ml കരൾ (organ as food) · hy լերդ (organ of the body) · gil ato (organ of the body) · dlg быар (organ of the body) · krc бауур (organ of the body) · kpt рекьӏайлӏ (organ of the body) · fa جِگَری (colour) · sgs jaknas (organ of the body) · hi कलेजी (organ of the body) · pam ate (organ of the body) · xh isibindi (organ of the body) · gl fígado (organ of the body) · za daep (organ of the body) · pap higra (organ of the body) · id hati (organ as food) · fr foie (organ as food) · tsg atay (organ of the body) · lmo fídeg (organ of the body) · zea lever (organ of the body) · xas mit (organ of the body) · mt fwied (organ as food) · tpi liwa (organ of the body) · sh џѝгерица (organ as food) · enm lyvere (organ as food) · rgn fegat (organ of the body) · pt fígado (organ as food) · mk џигер (organ of the body) · sjd вӯйвас (organ of the body) · mba atay (organ of the body) · ar كِبْد (organ of the body) · xmf ჩხონჩხი (organ of the body) · mh aj (organ as food) · khi-kun čiŋ (organ of the body) · hy լյարդ (organ of the body) · kzg 肝 (organ of the body) · be вантро́ба (organ of the body) · de Lawra (organ of the body) · ivb atay (organ of the body) · ug بېغىر (organ of the body) · apn ma (organ of the body) · kjh паар (organ of the body) · fur fiât (organ of the body) · et maks (organ of the body) · sh је̏тра (organ as food) · sw ini (organ of the body) · sah быар (organ of the body) · it fegato (colour) · yua táaman (organ of the body) · fa جِگَر (organ as food) · evn хакин (organ of the body) · sl jetrca (organ as food) · lmy ate (organ of the body) · vi gan (organ of the body) · co fecatu (organ of the body) · om tiruu (organ of the body) · nah elli (organ of the body) · alt буур (organ of the body) · rm fio (organ of the body) · fa جِگَر (organ as food) · bsh iāňi (organ of the body) · nn lever (organ as food) · dar дулекӏ (organ of the body) · ta கல்லீரல் (organ of the body) · orv печень (organ of the body) · kre inpa (organ of the body) · tpi liva (organ of the body) · lmo fidegh (organ of the body) · mk црн дроб (organ of the body) · gag ceer (organ of the body) · de Lewa (organ of the body) · kmc dabl (organ of the body) · quc seseb’ (organ of the body) · dlm fakuat (organ of the body) · gd grùthan (organ of the body) · nv bizid (organ of the body) · swg Läbr (organ of the body) · ta நகராமுசி (organ of the body) · iba atau (organ of the body) · ta ஈரல் (organ of the body) · akk 𒅗𒁀𒌈 (organ of the body) · roa-gal fâ (organ of the body) · it fegato (organ as food) · nrf faie (organ as food) · ru пе́чень (organ as food) · es hígado (organ as food) · nl lever (organ of the body) · az bağır (organ of the body) · gld па (organ of the body) · hrx Lewer (organ of the body) · my အသည်း (organ of the body) · zh 肝臟 /肝脏 (organ of the body) · et maks (organ as food) · mos sãoore (organ of the body) · io hepato (organ of the body) · mdf макса (organ of the body) · sne otin (organ of the body) · lo ຕັບ (organ of the body) · wbk iok (organ of the body) · zh 肝臟 /肝脏 (organ of the body) · sc fícadu (organ of the body) · khb ᦶᦎᧇ (organ of the body) · ca fetge (organ as food) · mhn leber (organ of the body) · tk bagyr (organ of the body) · cjs паар (organ of the body) · gd adha (organ of the body) · am ጉበት (organ of the body) · ro ficat (organ as food) · sc fícatu (organ of the body) · dsb jětša (organ of the body) · eo hepataĵo (organ as food) · ti ጸላም ከብዲ (organ of the body) · mga áe (organ of the body) · tr karaciğer (organ of the body) · gv aane (organ of the body) · ig imeju (organ of the body) · hil atay (organ of the body) · mfe lefwa (organ of the body) · kgp tỹmẽ (organ of the body) · gvp mpa (organ of the body) · br avu (organ of the body) · pt cachola (organ as food) · ca fetge (organ of the body) · wym łaower (organ of the body) · csb wątroba (organ of the body) · km ថ្លើម (organ of the body) · uk печі́нка (organ as food) · apw bizig (organ of the body) · okn 肝 (organ of the body) · sv lever (organ as food) · grc ἧπαρ (organ of the body) · sib atai (organ of the body) · txu ma (organ of the body) · sai-tap wa (organ of the body) · mvi 肝 (organ of the body) · egl fégat (organ of the body) · pl wątroba (organ as food) · shu كبدة (organ of the body) · tl atay (organ of the body) · bks atay (organ of the body) · sl jetra (organ of the body) · es hígado (organ of the body) · oc fetge (organ of the body) · ne कलेजो (organ of the body) · de Leber (organ as food) · so beer (organ of the body) · wa foete (organ of the body) · egl fégghet (organ of the body) · ia hepate (organ of the body) · mni ꯂꯤꯚꯔ (organ of the body) · zro káwaha (organ of the body) · id lever (organ of the body) · yrk-tun мыд (organ of the body) · eo hepatkolora (colour) · ht fwa (organ of the body) · nv azid (organ of the body) · es hígado (colour) · ami 'atay (organ of the body) · ro mai (organ of the body) · bal جگر (organ of the body) · af lewer (organ of the body) · jv ati (organ of the body) · sje ribbre (organ of the body) · non lifr (organ of the body) · ko 간장 (organ of the body) · lld fuià fosch (organ of the body) · fo livur (organ as food) · vec figà (organ of the body) · kv мус (organ of the body) · fi maksa (organ as food) · uz jigar (organ of the body) · aqc диликӏ (organ of the body) · dtp tangkayau (Tambunan Dusun) (organ of the body) · kim баар (organ of the body) · mt fwied (organ of the body) · ve tshivhindi (organ of the body) · suy mba (organ of the body) · si අක්මාව (organ of the body) · lij figaéttu (organ of the body) · nrf faie (organ of the body) · lnd atey (organ of the body) · ceb higado (organ as food) · lmo figad (organ as food) · lez лекь (organ of the body) · ay kʼiwcha (organ of the body) · xer pa (organ of the body) · xcl լեարդ (organ of the body) · kum бавур (organ of the body) · th ตับ (organ of the body) · an figado (organ of the body) · klg atay (organ of the body) · vro mass (organ of the body) · rup hicat (organ of the body) · shn တပ်း (organ of the body) · fa جِگَرْگون (colour) · srn lefre (organ of the body) · mn элэг (organ of the body) · liv maksā (organ of the body) · sw maini (organ as food) · tkn 肝 (organ of the body) · cdm सीन्ह् (organ of the body) · nd isibindi (organ of the body) · pms fidich (organ of the body) · is lifur (organ of the body) · mh aj (organ of the body) · ask ion (organ of the body) · nb lever (organ of the body) · ruq drob (organ of the body) · ky боор (organ of the body) · ovd lyr (organ of the body) · sxr 'aci'i (organ of the body) · lzz ჯიგერი (organ of the body) · mns-nor ма̄йт (organ of the body) · cy afu (organ of the body) · lt kepenys (organ of the body) · el συκώτι (organ of the body) · xok tõmã (organ of the body) · ckt pontə (organ of the body) · szy atay (organ of the body) · cy iau (organ as food) · cho sʋlakha (organ of the body) · id hati (organ of the body) · el ήπαρ (organ of the body) · ti ከብዲ (organ of the body) · tt бавыр (organ of the body) · sro figàu (organ of the body) · mwl fígado (organ of the body) · az باغیر (organ of the body) · izh leipäliha (organ of the body) · sms vuõivâs (organ of the body) · bh कलेजा (organ of the body) · kqr tongkoviyau (organ of the body) · dz མཆིན་པ (organ of the body) · cu печень (organ of the body) · wuu 肝臟 /肝脏 (organ of the body) · msb atay (organ of the body) · ps ځيګر (organ of the body) · kn ಯಕೃತ್ತು (organ of the body) · la iecur (organ as food) · nod ᨲᩢ᩠ᨷ (organ of the body) · yue 肝 (organ of the body) · te కాలేయం (organ of the body) · ru печёнка (organ as food) · ota قره جگر (organ of the body) · inh дихк (organ of the body) · be пе́чань (organ of the body) · ts xivindzi (organ of the body) · kl tinguk (organ of the body) · sva ყუ̂იჟე (organ of the body) · iu ᑎᖑᒃ (organ of the body) · ar كُبِدَة (organ of the body) · lnj thandragh (organ of the body) · ml കരൾ (organ of the body) · tpi liva (organ as food) · ruo ficåţ (organ of the body) · ja 肝臓 (organ of the body) · rw umwîjimá class 3 (organ of the body) · bto atay (organ of the body) · ru пе́чень (organ of the body) · bno atay (organ of the body) · pt fígado (organ of the body) · av тӏул (organ of the body) · pl wątroba (organ of the body) · ur کَلیجا (organ of the body) · tzm ⵜⴰⵙⴰ (organ of the body) · cy iau (organ of the body) · clt pathiy (organ of the body) · bug ate (organ of the body) · sga óa (organ of the body) · lij figaretu (organ of the body) · kmr kezeb (organ of the body) · ar سَودَة (organ as food) · bcl katoy (organ of the body) · ccc ojpana (organ of the body) · tpi lewa (organ of the body) · is lifur (organ as food) · ps ځګر (organ of the body) · txb wästarye (organ of the body) · ms hati (organ of the body) · io hepateo (colour) · ryn 肝 (organ of the body) · sk pečeň (organ as food) · crh bağır (organ of the body) · chm мокш (organ of the body) · ram impa (organ of the body) · gu યકૃત (organ of the body) · tpi lewa (organ as food) · qu kipcan (organ of the body) · st sebete (organ of the body) · ady тхьэмщӏыгъу (organ of the body) · szl wōntroba (organ of the body) · xav pa (organ of the body) · pdt Läwa (organ of the body) · sm ate (organ of the body) · bcl katoy (organ as food) · stq Líeuwer (organ of the body) · ill atai (organ of the body) · eo hepato (organ of the body) · aa tiro (organ of the body) · ha hantā̀ (organ of the body) · ha antā̀ (organ of the body) · yi לעבער (organ of the body) · ss sibindzi (organ of the body) · ckb جەرگ (organ of the body) · hi यकृत (organ of the body) · abq чӏва (organ of the body) · fbl atay (organ of the body) · gl fígado (organ as food) · arc ܟܒܕܐ (organ of the body) · bni libale (organ of the body) · nso sebete (organ of the body) · es rojo hígado (colour) · vep maks (organ of the body) · sc fidigu (organ of the body) · niu ate (organ of the body) · bin udu n’ ẹko (organ of the body) · sip མཆེན་པོ (organ of the body) · ko 간 (organ of the body) · bo མཆིན་པ (organ of the body) · uk печі́нка (organ of the body) · lt kepenys (organ as food) · it fegato (organ of the body) · rn igitigú class 7 (organ of the body) · mg aty (organ of the body) · su ati (organ as food) · ny chiwindi (organ of the body) · ssy tiraw (organ of the body) · sh jȅtrica (organ as food) · ceb atay (organ of the body) · drg tongkovizau (organ of the body) · sh је̏трица (organ as food) · el συκώτι (organ as food) · mnc ᡶᠠᡥᡡᠨ (organ of the body) · ga ae (organ of the body) · fi maksa (organ of the body) · tew hada (organ of the body) · pga kibda (organ of the body) · mk џигер (organ as food) · ab агәыҵәы (organ of the body) · io hepato (organ as food) · ota كبد (organ of the body) · hsb jatra (organ of the body) · kk бауыр (organ of the body) · bdr atei (organ of the body) · nds Lever (organ of the body) · tao atay (organ of the body) · brg eperon (organ of the body) · lmo corada (organ as food) · cs játra (organ of the body) · hi जिगर (organ of the body) · nog бавыр (organ of the body) · hu máj (organ of the body) · sv lever- (organ of the body) · rue печу́нка (organ of the body) · cs játra (organ as food) · khb ᦎᧇ (organ of the body) · lbl atay (organ of the body) · ja 肝 (organ of the body) · ln libale (organ of the body) · bsy angkayau (organ of the body) · lmo fídeg (organ as food) · egy mi-z:t-F51 (organ of the body) · bg че́рен дроб (organ of the body) · nb lever (organ as food) · mak ate (organ of the body) · hu máj (organ as food) · bua эльгэн (organ of the body) · cr ᒥᐢᑯᐣ (organ of the body) · ltg oknys (organ of the body) · fr foie (organ of the body) · enm lyvere (organ of the body) · he כָּבֵד (organ of the body) · nds Lever (organ as food) · rhg hoilla (organ of the body) · lmo figad (organ of the body) · li laever (organ of the body) · li lever (organ of the body) · sa यकृत् (organ of the body) · sa कालेय (organ of the body) · myv максо (organ as food) · nn lever (organ of the body) · rsk печинка (organ of the body) · zh 肝 (organ of the body) · ryu 肝 (organ of the body) · fa جِگَر (organ of the body)
From Middle English lyvere, livere, equivalent to live + -er.
Meanings
(uncommon) Someone who lives (usually in a specified way).
a wicked liver may be reclaimed, and prove an honest man[…]. 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 7:
A great lover of the faith, a great defender of the faith, a great lover of life, great liver of life, great defender of life. And yet he plotted and planned over fifty murders, and carried each of one them out—if only on paper, and if only for our pleasure. 2014, Walter Raubicheck, Anya Morlan, Christianity and the Detective Story, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, →ISBN:
Try if life be worth the liver's care. 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):
[…] a stately speech; / Such as grave Livers do in Scotland use, / Religious men, who give to God and Man their dues. 1815 [1802], William Wordsworth, Resolution and Independence:
Ephori of Sparta, hearing a dissolute liver propose a very beneficial advise unto the people, commaunded him to hold his peace, and desired an honest man to assume the invention of it unto himselfe and to propound it. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 31, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
(uncommon) Someone who lives (usually in a specified way). ▸ Someone who is alive: one of the living.
When as the wandring Scots and Picthts King Marius had subdude, He gave the Liuers dwellings. 1592, Alb. Eng., Warner, VIII, xliii (1612), 206:
Thou king of heaven, which […] Dost see the secret of each livers heart. 1599, Greene, Alphonsus, Wks. (Rtldg.), page 234
(uncommon) Someone who lives (usually in a specified way). ▸ Someone who lives in a particular place; an inhabitant, a dweller.
They must instantly have been detected by the present Livers that were upon the place. 1677, Cary, Chronol., II, ii, III, xiv, 252:
There is no liver in the country so practical. 1863, D. G. Mitchell, Sev. Stor., My Farm of Edgewood, section 289:
One, John Powle, a Liver on Sasquehanna River. 1747, Col. Rec. Pennsylv., V, 87:
Etymology tree
English live
Proto-Indo-European *-yōs
Proto-Germanic *-izô
Proto-West Germanic *-iʀō
Proto-Germanic *-ōzô
Proto-West Germanic *-ōʀō
Old English -ra
Middle English -ere
English -(e)r
English liver
From live (adjective) + -(e)r.
Meanings
(comparative, form-of) comparative form of live: more live