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Onorato Campopiano

What are the etymology and semantics of liver in the compound liver of sulfur?

Clive Gordon  Follow

Apparently it's just because it's a reddish-brown liver colour. In old chemical terminology it was “hepar sulf”, hepar being the Greek word for liver.

We call it potash in the UK, because of its high potassium content.

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Croren Rsps  Follow

It's just an accidental similarity. Live derives ultimately from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, meaning linger, as well as its virtual opposite, leave. Liver is from Proto-Germanic librō, simply meaning the organ called the liver.

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