lieu

noun

ˈlü 

archaic

: place, stead

see also:

in lieu in lieu 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

Arreola was booked at the Pico Rivera sheriff’s station and is currently being held in lieu of $75,000 bail. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

He was being held in lieu of a $1 million surety bond in connection with the family violence incident and will face a judge Tuesday, September 8, 2026. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2026

This means compensating workers with $25 per hour plus the 20% hospitality charge added to every check in lieu of tips. — Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Under a local payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement, SpaceX will make a $20 million upfront payment and at least $25 million annually for 25 years, with the state estimating more than $820 million in direct local payments under the agreement. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

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

Phrases Containing lieu

• in lieu
• in lieu of

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