LIVER (liver)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: liver   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does liver mean? 

• LIVER (noun)
  The noun LIVER has 4 senses:

1. large and complicated reddish-brown glandular organ located in the upper right portion of the abdominal cavity; secretes bile and functions in metabolism of protein and carbohydrate and fat; synthesizes substances involved in the clotting of the blood; synthesizes vitamin A; detoxifies poisonous substances and breaks down worn-out erythrocytes

2. liver of an animal used as meat

3. a person who has a special life style

4. someone who lives in a place

  Familiarity information: LIVER used as a noun is uncommon.

• LIVER (adjective)
  The adjective LIVER has 1 sense:

1. having a reddish-brown color

  Familiarity information: LIVER used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LIVER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Large and complicated reddish-brown glandular organ located in the upper right portion of the abdominal cavity; secretes bile and functions in metabolism of protein and carbohydrate and fat; synthesizes substances involved in the clotting of the blood; synthesizes vitamin A; detoxifies poisonous substances and breaks down worn-out erythrocytes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("liver" is a kind of...):

internal organ; viscus (a main organ that is situated inside the body)

Meronyms (parts of "liver"):

venae interlobulares hepatis (interlobular veins of the liver)

Kupffer's cell (specialized cells in the liver that destroy bacteria, foreign proteins, and worn-out blood cells)

biliary ductule (excretory ducts of the liver; empty into the hepatic ducts)

bile duct; common bile duct (a duct formed by the hepatic and cystic ducts; opens into the duodenum)

hepatic duct (the duct that drains bile from the liver)

hepatic lobe (any of the five lobes forming the liver)

hepatic vein; vena hepatica (a vein that drains the liver; empties into the vena cava)

arteria hepatica; hepatic artery (arteries that supply the liver)

Holonyms ("liver" is a part of...):

digestive system; gastrointestinal system; systema alimentarium; systema digestorium (the system that makes food absorbable into the body)

cardiovascular system; circulatory system (the organs and tissues involved in circulating blood and lymph through the body)

Derivation:

livery (suffering from or suggesting a liver disorder or gastric distress)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Liver of an animal used as meat

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("liver" is a kind of...):

organs; variety meat (edible viscera of a butchered animal)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "liver"):

calf's liver; calves' liver (liver of a calf used as meat)

chicken liver (liver of a chicken used as meat)

goose liver (liver of a goose used as meat)

tomalley (edible greenish substance in boiled lobster)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A person who has a special life style

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Context example:

a high liver

Hypernyms ("liver" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Derivation:

live (lead a certain kind of life; live in a certain style)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Someone who lives in a place

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Context example:

a liver in cities

Hypernyms ("liver" is a kind of...):

denizen; dweller; habitant; indweller; inhabitant (a person who inhabits a particular place)

Derivation:

live (be an inhabitant of or reside in)

• LIVER (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having a reddish-brown color

Synonyms:

liver; liver-colored

Similar:

colored; colorful; coloured (having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination)

 Context examples 

A substance being studied in the treatment of melanoma, liver cancer, and other types of cancer.

(ADI-PEG 20, NCI Dictionary)

It results from damage to the liver parenchyma usually secondary to acetaminophen overdose or viral infections.

(Acute Liver Failure, NCI Thesaurus)

Common sites of metastasis include liver, lung, bone, and retroperitoneal lymph nodes.

(Adrenal Cortex Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A substance that is being studied in the treatment of liver cancer.

(AG337, NCI Dictionary)

Melanomas frequently metastasize to lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and brain.

(Melanoma, NCI Thesaurus)

It is characterized by the systemic proliferation of NK cells in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, liver, and spleen.

(Aggressive NK-Cell Leukemia, NCI Thesaurus)

Acolbifene specifically binds to estrogen receptors in responsive tissue, including liver, bone, breast, and endometrium.

(Acolbifene hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

“Oh, my eyes and limbs, what do you want? Oh, my lungs and liver, what do you want? Oh, goroo, goroo!”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

A specific strain of a common bacteria found in most people with alcoholic hepatitis correlates with greater liver disease severity and mortality.

(Bacteriophage therapy may ease severity of alcoholic hepatitis, National Institutes of Health)

This can damage a person’s bones, liver, and spleen.

(Molecule may impact Gaucher, Parkinson’s disease, NIH)