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liaison officer

noun

  1. a person who liaises between groups or units
  2. a university official who oversees the operation of the accrediting system in schools
“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


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More About Liaison Officer

What is a liaison officer?

A liaison officer is a person who acts to arrange and assist interaction between parties, especially in an official capacity as their job.

The word liaison has many meanings. Most generally, it refers to a person who assists in such interaction, or to communication, interaction, or a meeting between parties. A close synonym of liaison is intermediary. A more informal synonym is go-between.

The word officer in the phrase implies that it is an official position—liaison officer can be a person’s professional title.

The verb liaise comes from liaison and typically means to act as a liaison by doing such arranging, assisting, and communicating. Liaison officers liaise between different groups. The title is typically used in the context of the military, education,  and policing (in which case a liaison officer is a police officer).

Example: In my work as a liaison officer, I’ve learned that communication and trust are keys to successful relationships.

Where does liaison officer come from?

The first records of the word liaison officer come from the early 1900s. The word liaison derives from the Latin ligātiōn-, meaning “a binding,” from the Latin verb ligāre, “to tie” or “to bind.” (The verb liaise, which originated as military slang, is a back formation of liaison, meaning liaison came first and was altered to form liaise.)

The term liaison officer was first used in the context of the military. In 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. This type of facilitation is crucial during military operations, when miscommunication or contradictory orders can have deadly consequences.

In other fields, liaison officers often serve as the intermediary between the organization they work for and external groups, such the media, the public, or regulatory agencies. Other liaison officers may operate as an independent go-between, without being part of either group they are helping to connect.

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What are some synonyms for liaison officer?

What are some words that share a root or word elements with liaison officer

What are some words that often get used in discussing liaison officer?

How is liaison officer used in real life?

Liaison officer is usually used as an official title.

 

 

Try using liaison officer!

Is liaison officer used correctly in the following sentence?

Members of the press should direct all inquiries to the liaison officer.

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