liverwort

noun

liv·​er·​wort ˈli-vər-ˌwərt How to pronounce liverwort (audio)
-ˌwȯrt
1
: any of a class (Hepaticae) of bryophytic plants characterized by a thalloid gametophyte or sometimes an upright leafy gametophyte that resembles a moss
2

Examples of liverwort in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Along with their cousins liverworts and hornworts, they are known as bryophytes. Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 28 Feb. 2023 Now, a new study of the mosses and liverworts found inside his body and near his corpse are telling us even more about this Copper Age man’s final days. Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 1 Nov. 2019 Researchers from the University of Glasgow and the University of Innsbruck recovered at least 75 species of bryophytes, non-vascular plants such as mosses and liverworts, that had been preserved in ice with Otzi. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 31 Oct. 2019 Bryophytes such as mosses and liverworts can only be studied in exceptional scenarios of preservation, such as an anaerobic bog or, in Ötzi's case, a frozen mountain pass. Megan Gannon, National Geographic, 30 Oct. 2019 Only about five percent nonvascular plants like liverworts and mosses are represented in the gardens. Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 27 Sep. 2017 Oishi said humid cities where moss thrives could benefit most from using bryophytes – a collective term for mosses, hornworts and liverworts – as bioindicators, adding moss could be monitored in its natural environment or cultivated for analysis. Sophie Hares, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liverwort.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of liverwort was in 1578

Dictionary Entries Near liverwort

Cite this Entry

“Liverwort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liverwort. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

liverwort

noun
liv·​er·​wort ˈliv-ər-ˌwərt How to pronounce liverwort (audio)
-ˌwȯ(ə)rt
: any of a class of flowerless plants related to and resembling the mosses but differing especially in their reproduction and development

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