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Glite Dictionary
calf's liver

calf's liver

1 4.1
A piece of liver from a young cow eaten as tender, mild meat
  • noun
  • /kæfs ˈlɪvər/
translation icon : hígado de ternera
  • The chef recommended the sautéed calf's liver with garlic and herbs for a flavorful dish.
  • calf's liver sautéed
  • calf's liver and onions

Examples

  • The menu had stroganoff, lasagna, calf's liver, and onions.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Compared to calf's liver, which is so tender and fragrant.

    Blog text (25)

  • I ordered the calf's liver.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Calf's liver sausage is so good.

    Blog text (25)

  • Southern born, I love calf's liver and chicken livers, but there are just some things I will not do!

    Blog text (1)

  • At the restaurant, I enjoyed a delicious plate of calf's liver cooked in a rich sauce with onions.

  • For dinner, we prepared calf's liver with a lemon and caper sauce, enhancing its mild flavor.

Synonyms

liver
vscalf's liver
232 1.2

An animal organ eaten as food, often cooked and served

is the same organ but specifically from a young animal and milder tasting
calves' liver
vscalf's liver
1 4.6

Meat from a young cow's liver that people eat

is written as the singular possessive rather than the plural form

Surface Forms

calf's liver singular
calf's livers plural

Morphology

calf's + liver

The meaning 'the liver of a calf' is directly and compositionally derived from 'calf's' (possessive of calf, a young cow) + 'liver' (edible organ), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the referent. This is a common genitive noun phrase pattern cross-linguistically and in culinary contexts, so the core meaning is transparent even if finer culinary nuances (tenderness, flavor) require extra knowledge.

Etymology

Calf's liver literally names the liver of a calf, a young cow whose organ is smaller and softer and cooks quickly. That's why 'calf's liver' means the food that is often 'tender' and has a 'mild' flavor.