Definition of liaison
1 : a binding or thickening agent used in cooking a butter and flour liaison
2a : a close bond or connection : interrelationshipb : an illicit sexual relationship : affair 3a
3a : 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
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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
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Are working relationships and liaisons in place with New York City’s anti-terror unit and the Joint Terrorism Task Force?
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Ed Brookover, a Trump campaign liaison to the Republican National Committee, said that the substance of Mrs. Clinton’s emails was what was most important — not Mr. Trump’s remarks.
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But the academy also has a resource advantage in that Benyshek has 1,300 admission liaison officers working for her around the world.
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Dahlys Hamiliton had been the Hispanic liaison for Cruz’s Georgia camp.
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On Jan. 10, thousands of people converged on the Beijing government liaison office in Hong Kong to protest the disappearances.
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People who respect themselves are willing to accept the risk that the Indians will be hostile, that the venture will go bankrupt, that the liaison may not turn out to be one in which every day is a holiday because you’re married to me.
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The medical examiner would eventually be in charge of four hundred people here -- a cadre of pathologists and DNA experts, morticians, media liaisons, and staff.
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The viciousness her liaison with Lennon inspired was virulently sexist, openly racist, and as ugly as ugly gets.
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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
First Known Use: circa 1648
LIAISON Defined for English Language Learners
liaison
playDefinition of liaison for English Language Learners
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: a person who helps organizations or groups to work together and provide information to each other
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: a relationship that allows different organizations or groups to work together and provide information to each other
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: a secret sexual relationship
Learn More about liaison
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See words that rhyme with liaison Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for liaison Spanish Central: Translation of liaison Nglish: Translation of liaison for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of liaison for Arabic speakers
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