Liaison Definition & Meaning

American

British

Usage

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms liaison American [lee-ey-zawn, lee-uh-zon, -zuhn, ley-, lee-ey-zuhn, -zon, lye-zawn] / ˌli eɪˈzɔ̃, ˈli əˌzɒn, -zən, ˈleɪ-, liˈeɪ zən, -zɒn, lyɛˈzɔ̃ /

noun

plural

liaisons

1. the contact or connection maintained by communications between units of the armed forces or of any other organization in order to ensure concerted action, cooperation, etc.

2. a person who initiates and maintains such a contact or connection.

3. an illicit sexual relationship.

4. Cooking. the process of thickening sauces, soups, etc., as by the addition of eggs, cream, butter, or flour.

5. Phonetics. a speech-sound redistribution, occurring especially in French, in which an otherwise silent final consonant is articulated as the initial sound of a following syllable that begins with a vowel or with a silent h, as the z- and n- sounds in Je suis un homme

liaison British / lɪˈeɪzɒn /

noun

1. communication and contact between groups or units

2. (modifier) of or relating to liaison between groups or units

   a liaison officer

3. a secretive or adulterous sexual relationship

4. one who acts as an agent between parties; intermediary

5. the relationship between military units necessary to ensure unity of purpose

6. (in the phonology of several languages, esp French) the pronunciation of a normally silent consonant at the end of a word immediately before another word commencing with a vowel, in such a way that the consonant is taken over as the initial sound of the following word. Liaison is seen between French ils (il) and ont ( ɔ̃ ), to give ils ont ( il zɔ̃ )

7. any thickening for soups, sauces, etc, such as egg yolks or cream

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does liaison mean? A liaison is a person who acts to arrange and assist interaction between parties. A close synonym is intermediary. A more informal synonym is go-between.It can also refer to communication, interaction, or a meeting between such parties.The verb liaise comes from liaison and typically means to act as a liaison by doing such arranging, assisting, and communicating.But liaison is also used in several other, more specific contexts.In the context of the military, liaison refers to the contact or connection maintained by communications between units in order to ensure concerted action—or the person who maintains this contact.In cooking (especially classical French cooking), it can be used as a technical term for the process of thickening sauces, soups, and other dishes, such as by adding eggs, cream, butter, or flour.Liaison is also a somewhat formal term for a secretive sexual relationship, especially one in which at least one of the partners is cheating on their spouse. A much more common word for this is affair.Example: In my work as an interdepartmental liaison, I’ve learned that communication and trust are keys to success.

Etymology

Origin of liaison

First recorded in 1640–50; from French, Old French, from Latin ligātiōn-, stem of ligātiō “a binding”; ligation

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Some of the brief liaisons are at least 10 years old.

From The Wall Street Journal

But of Harris’ liaisons with criminals and detectives, the anchor in his work — and in Raftery’s biography — would be his proximity to the FBI.

From Los Angeles Times

A spokesperson said the victim's next of kin was being supported by family liaison officers.

From BBC

Even as the scandals mounted, David Stern, a German businessman who worked closely with Epstein and acted as a liaison with Andrew, said that the prince’s reputation in the job was sound.

From The Wall Street Journal

Distributors serve as the liaison between a record label and a retailer or streamer.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• communication
• contact
• intermediary

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.