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.
If you are withholding too much money, it makes sense to reduce that amount so you put that money in your back pocket in lieu of having it languish in IRS coffers.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
Galtman was booked Thursday night about 11:30 p.m. and is being held in lieu of $3.1 million bail, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department booking records.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 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
Symbols like Lady Liberty, eagles and shields appear in lieu of kings and queens favored on British coinage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
In lieu of Colin's laugh came a period of unbreachable silence.
From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
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.
