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.
Employees who were given shares over the years in lieu of cash compensation, for example, have one way to lock in the cash value of their deferred compensation: by selling.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
County custody on June 2, and she remains jailed in lieu of $2 million as the case proceeds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
I met the 28-year-old on the top floor, where he opted for a warm, friendly hug in lieu of a firm business handshake.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
But in lieu of an album drop, the mystery surrounding the Grammy-winning artist's upcoming nuptials is doing just as much to mobilise her fandom.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
In lieu of an answer, she just pointed.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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.
