Word

liver

noun C1

UK /ˈlɪvə/

US /ˈlɪvɚ/

Meanings

noun

a large organ in the body that produces bile and helps process nutrients and remove toxins

noun

the liver of an animal used as food

Definition

The liver is a large organ that processes nutrients and removes harmful substances from the blood.

The liver is an organ in the upper right side of the abdomen. It helps the body digest food by producing bile and it processes nutrients from what you eat and drink. It also breaks down toxins and helps clear waste products from the blood.

Examples

After the lecture, I realized how essential the liver is to processing what my body absorbs from food.
In the anatomy lab, you can see how the liver sits under your ribs on the right side.
The veterinarian explained that his dog’s liver needed careful monitoring after the infection.
She decided not to order liver because the strong flavor overwhelms her.
They served sautéed liver with onions, but their guests preferred the vegetarian option.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse liver (the organ) with live (verb) and pronounce it like /laɪv/ instead of /ˈlɪvɚ/.