lieu
Americannoun
idioms
noun
Etymology
Origin of lieu
First recorded in 1250–1300; from Middle French, from Latin locus “place”; replacing Middle English liue, from Old French liu, from Latin; see locus
Explanation
To be in lieu of something is to replace it or substitute for it. A restaurant that's run out of clams might serve French onion soup in lieu of chowder. The word lieu originally comes from the Latin locus, meaning "place," and its meaning has stayed true to its origins ever since. Though it does have a standalone definition, "the position or function formerly held by another," this noun is most commonly encountered in the phrase "in lieu of," which means, basically, "instead of."
Vocabulary lists containing lieu
The Tempest
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Scrabble: Four-Letter Words with 3 Vowels
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Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
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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.
She remains in detention in lieu of $1.875 million bail.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
One thing they can do is shift toward business models that rely on other kinds of fees, in lieu of expecting to earn significant revenue from yields on cheap customer cash.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Recently, a friend had a barbeque and asked everyone to pay her $10, in lieu of bringing a dish.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026
It had been sent after she asked to be paid in lieu of holiday entitlement she had accrued during her maternity leave.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
In lieu of a response—because I’m a little choked up—I kiss her forehead, and she squeezes me tighter.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
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.
