liaison

noun li·ai·son \ ˈlē-ə-ˌzän , lē-ˈā- , nonstandard ˈlā-ə- \

|Updated on: 15 Aug 2018

Examples: liaison in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of liaison

1 : a binding or thickening agent used in cooking

a butter and flour liaison

2 a : a close bond or connection : interrelationship

b : an illicit sexual relationship : affair 3a

3 a : communication for establishing and maintaining mutual understanding and cooperation (as between parts of an armed force)

b : a person who establishes and maintains communication for mutual understanding and cooperation

a press liaison

4 : the pronunciation of an otherwise absent consonant sound at the end of the first of two consecutive words the second of which begins with a vowel sound and follows without pause

See liaison defined for English-language learners

See liaison defined for kids

liaison was our Word of the Day on 08/16/2013. Hear the podcast!

Examples of liaison in a Sentence

Today's army works on rotations; soldiers are deployed for about a year and then (in principle at least) they come home. When that happens, local liaisons and intelligence relationships must be rebuilt. —James K. Galbraith, Mother Jones, March/April 2006
I had known Korologos when I was Solicitor General, and he was the Nixon White House's liaison to the Senate. He was a great support. —Robert H. Bork, The Tempting of America, 1990
Gossip columnists began to infer from Evelyn's disappearances that she was engaging in reckless liaisons, and her name was linked with dozens of men around town. —E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, (1974) 1975
She acts as a liaison between the police department and city schools.
Administrators need to maintain better liaison with employees.
Administrators need to establish a close liaison with employees.
He regretted his liaison with a woman from the office.

Recent Examples of liaison from the Web

By Jeff Siner Republican council member Ed Driggs was also a key player, acting as a liaison between the city and Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis and other Republicans.

— steve harrison and jim morrill, charlotteobserver, "Why did council Democrats wait to oppose RNC? An inside look at Charlotte’s bid.," 13 July 2018
Wayne Rioux, a Vietnam-era Army veteran and Hartford HealthCare's veterans liaison, leads the group.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Windham Edition," 10 July 2018
Besides policing, the school resource officer will present educational programs, provide training to faculty and staff, and act as a police liaison between students, families, faculty and staff.

— rafael guerrero, Elgin Courier-News, "Part-time school resource officer job at West Dundee middle school to go full time," 10 July 2018
Ryan, a second-year medical student at Mayo Clinic, contacted one of his neurology professors to help draft a letter about her condition and acted as a liaison between the doctors in the United States and Spain.

— kelsey mo, azcentral, "UA student recounts sudden paralysis during trip to Spain," 3 July 2018
Jensen is also The Academy at Black Mountain Middle School parent leader, acting as a liaison between the school and the parents, helping organize volunteers, raise money and make important decisions involving the academy program.

— emily sorensen, Pomerado News, "PUSD names Volunteers of the Year for 2018," 21 June 2018
An agent is going to work as the liaison between a player and a business that player is only beginning to understand.

— rob mahoney, SI.com, "Breakaway: Inside the Life of Future Lottery Pick Mikal Bridges," 15 June 2018
He was hired by Major League Baseball as a special assistant to the chairman of the Major League Executive Council and became an umpire supervisor MLB, serving as a liaison between the umpires and the commissioner.

— blair kerkhoff, kansascity, "Remember hero MLB umpire Steve Palermo? Here's how he is still being honored," 8 June 2018
Her four-person office, which was established in 1987, plans programs for foreign dignitaries visiting the Senate and serves as a liaison between senators and consulates in California.

— alexei koseff, sacbee, "Paris, Japan, Mexico City, Brazil – legislative staff travel at taxpayer expense," 1 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'liaison.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

If you took French in school, you might remember that liaison is the term for the phenomenon that causes a silent consonant at the end of one word to sound like it begins the next word when that word begins with a vowel, so that a phrase like beaux arts sounds like "bo zart." We can thank French for the origin of the term, as well. Liaison derives from the Middle French lier, meaning "to bind or tie," and is related to our word liable. Our various English senses of liaison apply it to all kinds of bonds-from people who work to connect different groups to the kind of relationship sometimes entered into by two people who are attracted to one another.

Origin and Etymology of liaison

French, from Middle French, from lier, from Old French

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1648

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

liaison Synonyms

LIAISON Defined for English Language Learners

liaison

noun

Definition of liaison for English Language Learners

: a person who helps organizations or groups to work together and provide information to each other
: a relationship that allows different organizations or groups to work together and provide information to each other
: a secret sexual relationship