chopped liver: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Intermediate (C1/C2 for idiomatic usage)Informal, colloquial
Quick answer
What does “chopped liver” mean?
A food dish made from finely chopped cooked chicken livers, often mixed with onions, hard-boiled eggs, and seasonings.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A food dish made from finely chopped cooked chicken livers, often mixed with onions, hard-boiled eggs, and seasonings.
A metaphorical expression used in the phrase "What am I, chopped liver?" to convey feeling ignored, unimportant, or dismissed, as if one were a mundane side dish.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The food dish is understood in both varieties, but the idiom is far more common and established in American English.
Connotations
In the UK, the phrase may be recognised from US media but is not a natural part of the vernacular. In the US, it's a classic, humorous idiom with Yiddish-influenced origins.
Frequency
The idiom is low-frequency in the UK, intermediate-frequency in informal US speech.
Grammar
How to Use “chopped liver” in a Sentence
[to be/feel like] chopped liver[What am I,] chopped liver?Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chopped liver” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They chopped the liver finely for the pâté.
American English
- She chopped the liver before mixing it with the onions.
adjective
British English
- They served a chopped liver starter.
American English
- He prefers the chopped liver spread on his crackers.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; potentially in very informal settings to humourously protest being excluded from a decision.
Academic
Virtually non-existent.
Everyday
Common in US informal speech to express being slighted, especially in family/friend dynamics.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chopped liver”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chopped liver”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chopped liver”
- Using it as a statement rather than a rhetorical question (e.g., 'He is just chopped liver.' is less idiomatic than 'What is he, chopped liver?').
- Using it in overly formal contexts where the colloquial idiom is inappropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the food itself is not an insult. The insult is only in the metaphorical, idiomatic usage where a person compares themselves to the dish to express feeling undervalued.
It will likely be understood due to exposure to American media, but it sounds distinctly American. A British speaker might use a different phrase like '...and what am I? A piece of furniture?'
It stems from American Jewish culture, where chopped liver was a common, humble side dish or appetiser, contrasting with more prized main dishes like roast chicken or fish.
Not generally. It is self-deprecating and humorous, though it expresses genuine annoyance. It is not directed as a slur against others.
A food dish made from finely chopped cooked chicken livers, often mixed with onions, hard-boiled eggs, and seasonings.
Chopped liver is usually informal, colloquial in register.
Chopped liver: in British English it is pronounced /ˌtʃɒpt ˈlɪvə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌtʃɑpt ˈlɪvər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “What am I, chopped liver?”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine being at a banquet where everyone gets steak, but you're served only a small plate of chopped liver. The feeling of being overlooked is the key to the idiom.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PERSON IS FOOD. An unimportant/ignored person is an unglamorous, side dish food item.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the phrase 'What am I, chopped liver?' most appropriately used?