hepatic
adj.adj. relating to the liver. Doctors use this word to describe things that happen in or affect this organ.
adj. relating to the liver. Often used in medical contexts to describe physiological processes, diseases, or anatomical structures associated with the liver.
The patient showed signs of hepatic failure.
Doctors ordered a series of blood tests to check his hepatic function after he reported persistent fatigue.
The drug was withdrawn from the market after clinical trials revealed it could cause severe hepatic toxicity in a small percentage of the population.
From Middle English epatik, from Late Latin hepaticus, from Ancient Greek ἡπατικός (hēpatikós, “of the liver”), from ἧπαρ (hêpar, “liver”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun.
Last updated May 9, 2026