Liaison is co-operation and the exchange of information between different organizations or between different sections of an organization.
Liaison between police forces and the art world is vital to combat art crime. [+ between]
The courses are designed by universities in liaison with employers. [+ with]
Synonyms: contact, communication, connection, interchange More Synonyms of liaison
2. uncountable noun [oft aNOUN]
If someone acts as liaison with a particular group, or between two or more groups, their job is to encourage co-operation and the exchange of information.
I have a professor on my staff here as liaison with our higher education institutions. [+ with]
She acts as a liaison between patients and staff. [+ between]
Synonyms: intermediary, contact, hook-up, go-between More Synonyms of liaison
3. countable noun
You can refer to a sexual or romantic relationship between two people as a liaison.
She embarked on a series of sexual liaisons with society figures. [+ with]
Synonyms: affair, romance, intrigue, fling More Synonyms of liaison
liaison in British English
(lɪˈeɪzɒn)
noun
1.
communication and contact between groups or units
2. (modifier)
of or relating to liaison between groups or units
a liaison officer
3.
a secretive or adulterous sexual relationship
4.
one who acts as an agent between parties; intermediary
5.
the relationship between military units necessary to ensure unity of purpose
6.
(in the phonology of several languages, esp French) the pronunciation of a normally silent consonant at the end of a word immediately before another word commencing with a vowel, in such a way that the consonant is taken over as the initial sound of the following word. Liaison is seen between French ils (il) and ont (ɔ̃), to give ils ont (il zɔ̃)
7.
any thickening for soups, sauces, etc, such as egg yolks or cream
Word origin
C17: via French from Old French, from lier to bind, from Latin ligāre
liaison in American English
( for 1, 2, & 4, liˈeɪˌzɑn; liˈeɪzən; ˈliəˌzɑn; ˈleɪəˌzɑn; for 3, ˌ lieɪˈzɔ̃̃; ˌlieɪˈzoʊn; ˌlieɪˈzoʊn; ˌliɛˈzɑn)
noun
1.
a linking up or connecting of two or more separate entities or of the parts, as military units, of a whole so that they can work together effectively
2.
an illicit love affair
3.
in spoken French, the linking of words, under certain conditions, by pronouncing the final consonant, ordinarily silent, of one word as though it were the initial consonant of the following word,as in the phrase chez elle (pronounced (ʃeɪ ˈzɛl) )
4.
a person who functions as a connection, as between persons or groups
Word origin
Fr < OFr < L ligato < ligare, to bind: see ligature
Examples of 'liaison' in a sentence
liaison
The family liaison kept rushing in and out of the house to take phone calls.
The Sun (2016)
Family liaison officers were seen yesterday at the home of the teenage suspect's mum just a mile from the scene.
The Sun (2017)
Each prison has a race relations liaison officer who works to a race relations management team.
Coyle, Andrew & Stern, Vivien The Prisons We Deserve (1994)
Will you be her family liaison officer?
The Sun (2007)
You would be better to back off from this dangerous liaison.
The Sun (2012)
The police liaison officer is telling them anything they need to know.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And couples in the police forming romantic liaisons were posted far apart.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He also has a family liaison officer to help.
The Sun (2009)
Police family liaison officers were with them and a uniformed officer stood guard outside the front door.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Family liaison officers will meet bereaved relatives in the meantime.
The Sun (2015)
Investigations are ongoing in liaison with the police.
The Sun (2010)
What is being proved here is that the proximity of our clothes to our body plunges them into a dangerous liaison.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
My role was as liaison officer.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The job carried with it the leadership of the British side of the liaison group.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He said that their liaisons would either end in tears or a'beautiful relationship '.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We have taken certain steps already and are in very close liaison with the local police, who go out there to keep an eye on things.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
liaison
British English: liaison NOUN
Liaison is co-operation and the exchange of information between different organizations or between different sections of an organization.
Liaison between police forces and the art world is vital to combat art crime.
American English: liaison
Brazilian Portuguese: ligação
Chinese: 联络
European Spanish: cooperación
French: liaison
German: Zusammenarbeit
Italian: scambio di informazioni
Japanese: 連絡
Korean: 공조
European Portuguese: ligação
Latin American Spanish: cooperación
1 (noun)
Definition
communication and cooperative contact between groups
Liaison between the police and the art world is vital to combat art crime.
Synonyms
contact
She'd built up a number of business contacts over the years.
communication
The problem is a lack of real communication between you.
connection
I no longer have any connection with my ex-husband's family.
interchange
2 (noun)
She acts as a liaison between patients and staff.
Synonyms
intermediary
She wanted him to act as an intermediary in the dispute.
contact
hook-up
go-between
He will act as a go-between to try and work out an agenda.
3 (noun)
Definition
a secretive or adulterous sexual relationship
She embarked on a liaison with a noted society figure.
Synonyms
affair
Two colleagues were carrying on an affair.
romance
a holiday romance
intrigue
She detected her husband in an intrigue with a co-worker.
fling
We had a fling last summer.
love affair
That was the beginning of their whirlwind love affair
amour
This meaningful amour had gone horribly wrong.
entanglement
a romantic entanglement
illicit romance
Additional synonyms
in the sense of amour
Definition
a secret love affair
This meaningful amour had gone horribly wrong.
Synonyms
love affair,
relationship,
affair,
romance,
intrigue,
liaison,
affaire de coeur
in the sense of communication
Definition
the exchange of information, ideas, or feelings
The problem is a lack of real communication between you.
Synonyms
contact,
conversation,
correspondence,
intercourse (formal),
link,
relations,
connection
in the sense of connection
I no longer have any connection with my ex-husband's family.
Synonyms
communication,
alliance,
commerce (literary),
attachment,
intercourse (formal),
liaison,
affinity,
affiliation,
union
Synonyms of 'liaison'
liaison
Explore 'liaison' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of entanglement
a romantic entanglement
Synonyms
affair,
involvement,
romance,
intrigue,
fling,
liaison,
love affair,
amour,
illicit romance
in the sense of fling
Definition
a brief romantic or sexual relationship
We had a fling last summer.
Synonyms
affair,
relationship,
involvement,
liaison,
flirtation,
amour,
dalliance
in the sense of go-between
Definition
a person who acts as a messenger between two people or groups
He will act as a go-between to try and work out an agenda.
Synonyms
intermediary,
agent,
medium,
broker,
factor (Scottish),
dealer,
liaison,
mediator,
middleman
in the sense of intrigue
Definition
a secret love affair
She detected her husband in an intrigue with a co-worker.
Synonyms
affair,
romance,
intimacy,
liaison,
amour
in the sense of love affair
Definition
a romantic or sexual relationship between two people who are not married to each other
That was the beginning of their whirlwind love affair