lieu

noun

ˈlü 

archaic

: place, stead

Phrases

in lieu

: instead

… some of the units are made available at affordable prices, or the developers pay a fee in lieu that supports a … housing fund.

—Chloe Hilles

in lieu of

: in the place of : instead of

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.

Did you know?

Lieu vs. Loo vs. Lue

Due to its unusual Francophonic spelling, many people misspell lieu (which appears most often in the phrase in lieu of) as loo or lue. We even have evidence for people assuming the phrase is inlu of. It is, in fact, in lieu of. Lieu as a standalone noun means “place” and it’s now archaic. You can remember the spelling of lieu by using the mnemonic “lieu in everyday use.”

Examples of lieu in a Sentence

I have decided that in lieu of a going-away shower, those who wish to go in on a nice gift for her can see me after church. —Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989

Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours? —Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842

But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate. —Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813

Recent Examples on the Web

Private administrators, in the form of insurance companies, take the reins of Medicare plans and offer a more personalized, streamlined plan in lieu of a traditional Medicare plan. —Juliette Madrigal, Boston Herald, 7 Dec. 2025

How about pursuing a remake in lieu of pursuing actual blood sport in Venezuela? —Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 6 Dec. 2025

In lieu of decor, farmers market spoils spill out on every surface, taking shifts with the seasons. —Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 5 Dec. 2025

Now Republicans are making the case that, in lieu of the pandemic-era enhanced ACA subsidies, patients would be better off being given money to cover some health costs — specifically through deposits to HSAs. —Amanda Seitz, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English liue, from Anglo-French liu, lieu, from Latin locus — more at stall

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lieu

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

lieu

noun

ˈlü 

archaic

: place entry 1 sense 7b, stead