liaison

See also: Liaison

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:

liaison

Etymology

Borrowed from French liaison (“binding”), from Latin ligātiō (stem ligātiōn-; whence the English doublet ligation), derived from ligō (“to bind”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind”).

Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /liˈeɪˌzɒ̃/, /-ˌzɒn/, /-z(ə)n/, (nonstandard) /laɪˈeɪˌzɒn/, /-zən/
(Standard Southern British) IPA^(key): /lɪjˈɛjzɔn/, /lɪjˈɛjz(ə)n/
(US) IPA^(key): /liˈeɪˌzɑn/, /-ˌsɑn/, (nonstandard) /ˈlaɪ.ə.sən/
Audio (US): (file)
Rhymes: -eɪzɒn, -eɪzən
Hyphenation: li‧ai‧son

Noun

liaison (countable and uncountable, plural liaisons)

Examples (pronunciation of a normally silent consonant)
The pronunciation of the ⟨n⟩ in French bon appétit

(cooking) A thickening for sauces, typically based on egg yolks.
- 1759, William Verral, “XV. Des perdreaux au celery blanc. Partridges with celery sauce white.”, in A Complete System of Cookery. […], London: Printed for the author, and sold by him; as also by Edward Verral bookseller, […]; and by John Rivington […], page 92:
  […] prepare a liaison, or four or five yolks of eggs and some cream […]
Communication between two parties or groups.
Cooperation, working together.
(military) A relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war.
Any person who relays information between two groups or organizations.
Synonyms: go-between, mediator

As a community liaison, I work to make sure the general public knows about our organization's work.
- 2020 August 16, Alaa Elassar, “A small boutique survived the coronavirus pandemic by live streaming fashion shows on Facebook”, in CNN‎^[1], archived from the original on 10 March 2026:
  The 55-year-old, who worked as a nurse liaison for 30 years before opening her clothing boutique in 2014, began streaming fashion shows on Facebook Live featuring herself wearing the clothes, jewelry and accessories she sells.
A tryst; a romantic meeting.
(figuratively) An illicit sexual relationship or affair.
- 2020 August 4, Richard Conniff, “They may look goofy, but ostriches are nobody’s fool”, in National Geographic Magazine‎^[2], archived from the original on 2 April 2023:
  ostriches in breeding season are relentlessly promiscuous, with both males and females seeking liaisons with multiple partners.
- 2022 July 28, Jeannette Catsoulis, “‘Resurrection’ Review: Mother of Fears”, in The New York Times‎^[3], archived from the original on 30 September 2022:
  Even her sex life is rigidly regulated, the liaisons with her married co-worker, Peter (Michael Esper), unfolding with more efficiency than pleasure.
(phonology) Fusion of two consecutive words and the manner in which this occurs.
Hypernyms: sandhi, intrusion, linking
2. (phonology) The pronunciation of a normally silent final consonant when the next word begins with a vowel.
(motor racing) A noncompetitive section in a rally that takes place on public roads, during which competitors have to abide by all relevant traffic laws.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

communication between two parties or groups — see also link

Bulgarian: връзка (bg) f (vrăzka), свръзка (bg) f (svrăzka)
Danish: forbindelsesofficer (da) c
Estonian: suhtlus, läbikäimine, lävimine, ühendus, ühendusepidamine
Finnish: yhteydenpito (fi), yhteys (fi)
French: liaison (fr) f
Greek: διασύνδεση (el) f (diasýndesi), συνεργασία (el) f (synergasía)
Italian: collegamento (it) m, testa di ponte f
Persian: رابطه (fa) (râbete), ارتباط (fa) (ertebât)
Portuguese: ligação (pt) f
Romanian: ^{(please verify)} legătură (ro) f
Russian: связь (ru) f (svjazʹ)

co-operation, working together

Azerbaijani: əməkdaşlıq (az)
Bulgarian: взаимодействие (bg) n (vzaimodejstvie)
Estonian: ühistöö, kaastöö, koostöö
Finnish: yhteistyö (fi)
French: liaison (fr) f
German: Zusammenarbeit (de) f, Verbindung (de) f
Greek: συνεργασία (el) f (synergasía)
Persian: رابطه (fa) (râbete)
Portuguese: cooperação (pt)
Russian: взаимоде́йствие (ru) n (vzaimodéjstvije)

a relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war

Bulgarian: свързочник (bg) m (svărzočnik)
Catalan: enllaç (ca) m
Estonian: sidepidaja, sideisik, sideväelane, sidetöötaja
Finnish: yhteyshenkilö
French: liaison (fr) f
Greek: μεσολαβητής (el) m (mesolavitís)
Italian: collegamento (it) m
Persian: رابط (fa) (râbet)
Russian: связно́й (ru) m (svjaznój)

a tryst, romantic meeting

Estonian: kohting
Finnish: treffit (fi)
French: liaison (fr) f
German: Liaison (de) f
Greek: σχέση (el) f (schési)
Russian: свида́ние (ru) n (svidánije)

an illicit sexual relationship or affair

Estonian: salasuhe, armuseiklus
Finnish: rakkaussuhde (fi), salasuhde (fi)
French: liaison (fr) f
German: Liaison (de) f, Liebschaft (de) f, (außereheliche) Affäre f, außereheliches Verhältnis n
Greek: ερωτοδουλειά (el) f (erotodouleiá)
Russian: рома́н (ru) m (román), любовное похожде́ние n (ljubovnoje poxoždénije), любо́вная интри́га f (ljubóvnaja intríga), любо́вная связь f (ljubóvnaja svjazʹ), (hanky-panky) шу́ры-му́ры (ru) f pl (šúry-múry), ша́шни (ru) m pl (šášni), аму́ры (ru) m pl (amúry)
Spanish: aventura (es) f

linguistics: a sandhi

Arabic: وَصْل (ar) m (waṣl)
Catalan: enllaç (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 聯誦 / 联诵 (zh) (liánsòng)
Finnish: sidonta (fi)
French: liaison (fr) f
German: Liaison (de) f, Bindung (de) f, Mitbindung f
Greek: υφέν (el) n (yfén)
Japanese: リエゾン (riezon)
Korean: 리에종 (riejong)
Russian: льезо́н m (lʹjezón), связывание (ru) n (svjázyvanije)

any person who relays information between two groups or organizations — see coordinator,‎ collaborator,‎ relayer,‎ communicator,‎ broker,‎ middleman,‎ intermediary,‎ contact

noncompetitive section in a rally

Finnish: siirtymätaival

Verb

liaison (third-person singular simple present liaisons, present participle liaisoning, simple past and past participle liaisoned)