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

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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.

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

“It makes me feel betrayed. It makes the tribe feel betrayed,” said Gary Mulcahy, government liaison for the tribe.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

The ability to respond to incidents such as mine hits or missile attacks would require close communication between all involved nations and merchant ships, possibly carrying liaison officers onboard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

The 52-year-old liaison officer told the BBC that he had been waiting for 30 minutes.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

There was Code Enforcement, and Emergency Management, representatives from Solid Waste, a group from Albuquerque Community Safety, a liaison from the mayor’s office, and more.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Since there was no liaison between the Brotherhood and the community leaders I assigned myself the task of creating one.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Related Words

• communication
• contact
• intermediary