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, ljɛˈzɔ̃ /

noun

• liaisons
  plural

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

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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

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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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• liaisons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of liaison

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

Explanation

Employ the French-sounding word liaison to refer to a relationship, a link between people or groups who aids communication. There are two main definitions for liaison that stem from Old French and before that, the Latin word for "to bind." The first definition refers in general to a connection or a relationship that serves effective communication. The second definition refers more specifically to an illicit relationship, or an affair, and can have a negative connotation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

liaison liaisons

Amid the setbacks, Wang’s dad stepped in as a contractor and Wang’s mom volunteered to serve as construction liaison.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

In his memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery,” published this year, Newsom acknowledges the liaison with Rippey, describing it as “the briefest of affairs.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Walter Mondale pioneered the liaison job, bridging the gap between the outsider President Jimmy Carter, and Mondale’s former congressional colleagues.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has repeatedly insisted that he involved the FBI immediately, including working with a liaison on site the night of the kidnapping.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

It was one thing to maintain liaison with the Lord, and they were all in favor of that; it was something else, though, to have Him hanging around twenty-four hours a day.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026

We stepped in to be the media liaisons.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2025

Joe Mungo Reed’s second novel, ‘Hammer,’ is a slow burn of dangerous liaisons revolving around a Russian oligarch who comes to oppose Vladimir Putin.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2025

"On every set, there are fights, liaisons… there are all sorts of things that go on," explains Richard Rushfield, founder and columnist at Hollywood newsletter The Ankler.

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2025

“Certainly, my best. And I was quite right: depend on that: there are a thousand reasons why liaisons between governesses and tutors should never be tolerated a moment in any well-regulated house; firstly—”

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

• communication
• contact
• intermediary