liaison

Borrowed from French liaison (“binding”), from Latin ligātiō (stem ligation-) (English ligation), derived from ligō (“I bind”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind”). Doublet of ligation.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /li.ˈeɪ.ˌzɒ̃/, /-ˌzɒn/, /-z(ə)n/, (nonstandard) /laɪ.ˈeɪ.ˌzɒn/, /-zən/
• (US) IPA^(key): /li.ˈeɪ.ˌzɑn/, /-ˌsɑn/, (nonstandard) /ˈ laɪ.ə.sən/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -eɪzɒn

liaison (countable and uncountable, plural liaisons)

1. Communication between two parties or groups.
2. Cooperation, working together.
3. A relayer of information between two forces in an army or during war.
4. 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.

5. A tryst; a romantic meeting.
6. (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:

     ostriches in breeding season are relentlessly promiscuous, with both males and females seeking liaisons with multiple partners.

7. (phonology) Fusion of two consecutive words and the manner in which this occurs.

   Hypernyms: sandhi, intrusion, linking

   1. (phonology) The pronunciation of a normally silent final consonant when the next word begins with a vowel.

• liaison aircraft
• liaison officer

• liaise
• ligation

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

1. (proscribed) To liaise.

• isolani

Inherited from Old French, from Late Latin ligātiōnem, derived from Latin ligō (“bind”), or formed from lier +‎ -aison based on the Latin word. Compare also Old Occitan liazó, liazon.

• IPA^(key): /ljɛ.zɔ̃/, /lje.zɔ̃/

• Audio (FR)

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• Audio (Paris)

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liaison f (plural liaisons)

1. link, bond
2. friendship
3. liaison (romantic encounter)
4. liaison (communication)
5. (linguistics) liaison (phonological phenomenon)
6. (chemistry) bond

• lier

• → English: liaison
• → Italian: liaison

• “liaison”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.