liaison en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /-zən/ (UK)
- /lɪjˈɛjzɔn/ (British, Southern, Standard)
- (US) audio
- /lɪjˈɛjz(ə)n/ (British, Southern, Standard)
- /laɪˈeɪˌzɒn/ (UK, nonstandard)
- /-ˌsɑn/ (US)
- /-z(ə)n/ (UK)
- /liˈeɪˌzɒ̃/ (UK)
- /ˈlaɪ.ə.sən/ (US, nonstandard)
- /liˈeɪˌzɑn/ (US)
- /-ˌzɒn/ (UK)
Etymology
Borrowed from French liaison (“binding”), from Latin ligātiō (stem ligātiōn-; whence the English doublet ligation), derived from ligō (“to bind”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind”).
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) A thickening for sauces, typically based on egg yolks.
[…]prepare a liaison, or four or five yolks of eggs and some cream […]
1759, William Verral, “XV. Des perdreaux au celery blanc. Partridges with celery sauce white.”, in A Complete System of Cookery. […], London: Printed for the author, and sold by him; as also by Edward Verral bookseller, […]; and by John Rivington […], page 92:
- (countable, uncountable) Communication between two parties or groups.
- (countable, uncountable) Cooperation, working together.
- (countable, uncountable) A relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war.
-
(countable, uncountable) Any person who relays information between two groups or organizations.
The 55-year-old, who worked as a nurse liaison for 30 years before opening her clothing boutique in 2014, began streaming fashion shows on Facebook Live featuring herself wearing the clothes, jewelry and accessories she sells.
2020 August 16, Alaa Elassar, “A small boutique survived the coronavirus pandemic by live streaming fashion shows on Facebook”, in CNN, archived from the original on 10 Mar 2026:As a community liaison, I work to make sure the general public knows about our organization's work.
- (countable, uncountable) A tryst; a romantic meeting.
-
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) An illicit sexual relationship or affair.
ostriches in breeding season are relentlessly promiscuous, with both males and females seeking liaisons with multiple partners.
2020 August 4, Richard Conniff, “They may look goofy, but ostriches are nobody’s fool”, in National Geographic Magazine, archived from the original on 02 Apr 2023:Even her sex life is rigidly regulated, the liaisons with her married co-worker, Peter (Michael Esper), unfolding with more efficiency than pleasure.
2022 July 28, Jeannette Catsoulis, “‘Resurrection’ Review: Mother of Fears”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 30 Sep 2022:
- (countable, uncountable) Fusion of two consecutive words and the manner in which this occurs.
- (countable, uncountable) Fusion of two consecutive words and the manner in which this occurs. ▸ The pronunciation of a normally silent final consonant when the next word begins with a vowel.
- (countable, uncountable) A noncompetitive section in a rally that takes place on public roads, during which competitors have to abide by all relevant traffic laws.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| liaisons | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
liaison officer · liaison aircraft
Hypernyms
intrusion · intrusion · linking · sandhi · sandhi · linking
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (82)
fa رابطه (co-operation, working together) · de Zusammenarbeit (co-operation, working together) · de (außereheliche) Affäre (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · fi yhteistyö (co-operation, working together) · ru любо́вная интри́га (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · ar وَصْل (linguistics: a sandhi) · fr liaison (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · bg свръзка (communication between two parties or groups) · ru связывание (linguistics: a sandhi) · ru связно́й (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · ko 리에종 (linguistics: a sandhi) · de Bindung (linguistics: a sandhi) · et salasuhe (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · fa رابط (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · el διασύνδεση (communication between two parties or groups) · fr liaison (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · de Mitbindung (linguistics: a sandhi) · fi yhteys (communication between two parties or groups) · el σχέση (a tryst, romantic meeting) · el μεσολαβητής (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · fr liaison (a tryst, romantic meeting) · fr liaison (co-operation, working together) · fi salasuhde (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · et läbikäimine (communication between two parties or groups) · es aventura (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · et sidetöötaja (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · fi treffit (a tryst, romantic meeting) · de Liebschaft (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · pt cooperação (co-operation, working together) · fi yhteydenpito (communication between two parties or groups) · fi yhteyshenkilö (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · ru свида́ние (a tryst, romantic meeting) · et kohting (a tryst, romantic meeting) · bg свързочник (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · de Liaison (a tryst, romantic meeting) · ru ша́шни (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · fr liaison (linguistics: a sandhi) · et ühendus (communication between two parties or groups) · ru связь (communication between two parties or groups) · de Liaison (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · et ühendusepidamine (communication between two parties or groups) · fi sidonta (linguistics: a sandhi) · et sideväelane (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · cmn 聯誦 /联诵 (linguistics: a sandhi) · it testa di ponte (communication between two parties or groups) · da forbindelsesofficer (communication between two parties or groups) · ru любовное похожде́ние (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · de außereheliches Verhältnis (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · ru льезо́н (linguistics: a sandhi) · ca enllaç (linguistics: a sandhi) · et ühistöö (co-operation, working together) · el υφέν (linguistics: a sandhi) · ru рома́н (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · et koostöö (co-operation, working together) · el ερωτοδουλειά (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · el συνεργασία (communication between two parties or groups) · pt ligação (communication between two parties or groups) · bg връзка (communication between two parties or groups) · fa رابطه (communication between two parties or groups) · it collegamento (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · ru шу́ры-му́ры (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · et suhtlus (communication between two parties or groups) · fa ارتباط (communication between two parties or groups) · fi rakkaussuhde (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · et kaastöö (co-operation, working together) · ca enllaç (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · ru взаимоде́йствие (co-operation, working together) · et armuseiklus (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · et sideisik (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · fi siirtymätaival (noncompetitive section in a rally) · ru аму́ры (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · de Verbindung (co-operation, working together) · az əməkdaşlıq (co-operation, working together) · fr liaison (communication between two parties or groups) · it collegamento (communication between two parties or groups) · bg взаимодействие (co-operation, working together) · et sidepidaja (a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war) · ru любо́вная связь (an illicit sexual relationship or affair) · et lävimine (communication between two parties or groups) · de Liaison (linguistics: a sandhi) · el συνεργασία (co-operation, working together) · ja リエゾン (linguistics: a sandhi)