lieu

noun

archaic
Phrases
in lieu in lieu of
: in the place of : instead of

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 The lip oil, Swift said, is formulated with plant cellulose in lieu of silicone. James Manso, WWD, 2 Oct. 2024 Fashionable sneakers are here to stay In lieu of classic footwear like heels and dress shoes, fashionable sneakers are becoming a mainstay of the corporate uniform. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2024 In lieu of stretchy pants, Robbie opted for a soft, stretchy maxidress (possibly Skims or one of its dupes) and topped the piece off with a cozy open cardigan that is much more chic than your average zip-up. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2024 Campbell is being held at a local jail in lieu of $2 million bail. Alex Stone, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lieu 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lieu.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lieu was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near lieu

Cite this Entry

“Lieu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lieu. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

lieu

noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lieu

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