liver

Etymology 1

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”), West Frisian lever (“liver”), Dutch lever (“liver”), German Leber (“liver”), Danish, Norwegian and Swedish lever (“liver”) (the last three from Old Norse lifr (“liver”)). Related to live.

noun

1. (anatomy) 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.
2. (countable, uncountable) This organ, as taken from animals used as food.
   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.
   "I should think you've rocked the boat enough already by refusing to eat liver." 1993, Philippa Gregory, Fallen Skies, page 222
3. A dark brown colour, tinted with red and gray, like the colour of liver.
   liver:
4. (obsolete chemistry) Any of various chemical compounds—particularly sulfides—thought to resemble livers in color.
   He gave his horse some liver of antimony.

adj

1. 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, page 298

Etymology 2

table From Middle English lyvere, livere, equivalent to live + -er.

noun

1. Someone who lives (usually in a specified way).
   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

Etymology 3

live (adjective) + -(e)r.

adj

1. comparative form of live: more live
   Seeing things on a big screen somehow makes them seem liver.
   […]manslaughter, liver than camcorder 2001, Adam F featuring MOP (lyrics and music), “Stand Clear”