aknas

• (dialectal forms) aknis

From Proto-Baltic *yeknā-, *yaknā-, from the genitive form *yekʷ-né-s of Proto-Indo-European *Hyékʷr̥ (“liver”), an old, n/r-alternating stem. Cognates include Lithuanian jẽknos, dialectal ãknos, Old Prussian lagno (apparently a misspelled iagno), Sanskrit यकृत् (yakṛt) (genitive यक्नः (yaknáḥ)) Ancient Greek ἧπαρ (hêpar) (genitive ἧπατος (hêpatos)), Latin iecur.[1]

• IPA^(key): [aknas]

aknas f (4th declension)

1. (anatomy) liver (internal organ of humans and animals, gland that produces bile)

   aknu slimības ― liver diseases

   aknu uztūkums ― swelling of the liver

   aknu funkcijas ― liver functions

   kuņģa tuvumā ir aknas ar žultspūsli ― in the vicinity of the stomach are (situated) the liver with (= and) the gall bladder

   aknām ir izcila nozīme visdažādākos organisma vielmaiņas procesos ― the liver has great importance in a variety of metabolic processes in the body

2. this organ of an animal, used as food

   ceptas, sautētas aknas ― fried, stewed liver

   aknu desa, pastēte ― liver sausage, pâté

   ļoti labs A vitamīna avots uzturā ir liellopu un cūku aknas, kā arī mencu aknu konservi ― a very good source of vitamin A in one's diet is cow and pig liver, as well as canned cod liver

The plural forms are always preferred. The singular forms apparently exist, according to published dictionaries, but seem to be mostly unattested.